LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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YOUNG FOLKS' LIBRARY OF AMERICAN HISTORY. 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO, 



CONQUEST OK PBRU. 



BY MARA L. PRATT, M.D. 



AUTHOR OF " AMERICAN HISTORY STORIES."— " CORTES AND MONTEZUMA." 
"FAIRYLAND OF FLOWERS," ETC., ETC. 




BOSTON: 
EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY, 

1890. 






Copyright , 1890 . 
By EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY. 
B OSTON . 



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V 







fRA>-CIsCO PIZARRO. 



1 



' YOUNG FOLKS' LIBRARY OF AMERICAN HISTORY, 



]^RANCIgCO pI^ARRO. 

I suppose it would be hardly fair to our boy readers to 
keep from them the story of Pizarro's " running away/' — 
much as there is to be said ao-ainst fiUino- the heads of lads 
with stories of that kind. But, you see, Pizarro was a boy 
of rather unusual type, and the times, too, four hundred 
years ago, were very different from those of to-day. The 
Xew ^Vorld had just been discovered ; European countries 
were at war with each other ; ships were only just beginning 
to be built strong enough to sail far out to sea ; and naviga- 
tion, adventure, exploration, and discovery were the watch- 
words of the hour. 

5 



6 FRANCISCO PJZARRO. 

Pizarro's father, who was a soldier full of daring, but of 
very little moral worth, seems to have bequeathed his son 
nothing but his name and his bold spirit. Pizarro's 
mother, a low peasant woman, had no choice in the matter, 
even had she wished to see her boy brought up in the poor 
way common to children of her caste. 

Almost as soon as he could walk, this black-eyed, fiery- 
hearted little Spaniard was set to work watching the herds 
of pigs as they wallowed and grunted about — just as pigs 
do to-day, except that those were given the liberty of the 
roads and mires, and any other place where the filth and 
garbage were sufficient to give their pig-ships pleasure. 

This was the life Pizarro led until, when fifteen years old, 
his ambitious spirit could endure it no longer. Poor little 
fellow ! He had known little of the joj^s of childhood. 
All these years he had grown up amid those mean, squalid 
surroundings, ignorance and filth and poverty his only edu- 
cation, watching the pigs from dawn till dark, eating only 
the coarsest food, sleeping at night on a bed of dirty hay, 
and with all this^ beaten and kicked for the slightest neglect 
of his duties. 

Such a life as this would kill out the fire and ambition of 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 7 

any boy, and make him into an animal as stupid and brutish 
as those Pizarro watched. 




SPAiaSH PEASANTS. 



But Pizarro had inherited from his father so fierce and 
proud a spirit, that even this grovelling life could not kill it. 
It seemed rather to increase it — this daily wretchedness 
and tyranny ; and, as he came up into his "teens," he chafed 
angrily at his revolting labor and his brutal masters. 

It happened one day as he was about his work, his blood 



8 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

boiling and his heart beating angrily over some fresh injus- 
tice from his master, that a sailor arrived in the little vil- 
lage, bringing with him wonderful stories of the "new 
land" across the sea. "Oh, such a wonderful land ! " the 
sailor said. " Gold, silver and precious stones ! A land 
of plenty ! " In his rough way the sailor went on to tell 
about the voyage ; the excitement of the landing ; the won- 
derful explorations; the strange, copper-colored people, 
and, above all, the number of ships that were already being 
l)uilt in the different Spanish sea-ports to go out again 
across the great sea to this wonderful new land. 

The little swineherd was fired with ambition to see this 
new land. All the pent-up passion of his life burst forth ; 
all the longings, dreamings, all his schemes for future 
greatness went rushing through his brain at red-hot 
speed. 

Here, indeed, was a career worthy of his courage and 
ambition. "I shall go ! " cried Pizarro. "I shall go ! " 

From that day Pizarro had but one plan — to escape, 
make his way to Seville, join the army, and some time go to 
the woiideiful land of which the sailor had told him. 

Among the many swineherds were two boys of Pizarro's 



EEA^CISCO PiZAERO. 




10 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

own age, in whom he had found no little sympathy in days 
gone by, when, from time to time, he had burst into indig- 
nant fury at their wretched lives among the pigs. To 
these two boys Pizarro unfolded his new plans and his 
scheme for escape. Readily the boys fell in with their 
leader, and all three joined in preparation for the time when 
escape would be possible. 

An opportunity came at last ; and in the dead of the 
night, the three boys, each with a little bundle thrown over 
his shoulder, in which were food and all their worldly 
possessions, crept out from the village up the mountain 
road. 

It was just at daybreak when they reached the summit of 
a rough, steep clifl', from which they could look down upon 
the village. 

"Just see how small the village looks ! " cried one of the 
boys. ''We must have climbed a long distance to have it 
look so far away." 

"We're done with Truxillo, thank heaven!'* exclaimed 
Francisco, throwing himself down to rest on the broad 
cliff. " No more watching swine for us ! We will be sol- 
diers or sailors, and we'll cross the sea, and fight our way to 
fame and glory I " 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 11 

"But it is a long journey to Seville," said the youngest 
of the three boys. "How shall we ever reach there?" 

" What, Pedro, are you afraid ? Away with such coward- 
words ! I'd rather starve than go back to that slave's 
work ! Come, come ! Courage, Pedro, courage ! " 



JhE !pOYg y^RRIVE IN ^EVILLE. 

It was a long, hard journey that lay before these desperate 
boys. Over hills, along hot, dusty roads, across streams, 
and over parched and barren fields they tramped bravely 
on, resting one night beneath the warm shelter of some 
good peasant's roof, another by the roadside or beneath 
some forest trees. 

But the lads had youth and health and courage, and, best 
of all, an honest, steady purpose to help them on their 
way. And one bright, warm evening, just as the setting 
sun was gilding the clouds and reflecting its sunset glory 
upon the towers and domes of the beautiful city, our travel- 
worn lads came within the gates of Seville. 

"Was ever anything so grand?" exclaimed Pizarro, as 



12 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 



the grand steeple of the great cathedral and the great 
towers of the Alcazar rose high before them. 




THE GIRALDA, SEVIL1.E. 

Their arrival seemed indeed well timed. Soldiers, sol- 
diers, appeared on every side. Amidst the crowds of peo- 
ple, hurrying along the street, in the windows of the 



FKANCISCO PIZARRO. 13 

balconied dwellings, in the gardens, in the cathedral — 
everywhere glittered and shone the beautiful armor of the 
Spanish soldiers. 

All this but rekindled the fire in Pizarro's heart. To be 
a soldier, to wear an armor like that, to fight, to win fame ! 
such were the ambitions of Pizarro. Though but fifteen, he 
was tall, straight and strong, brave, daring and resolute. 
"Sir," said Pizarro, walking boldly up to an officer, "we 
three lads have run away from home to join the aiTQy. We 
are ready to go anywhere or do anything, and we want to 
join at once." 

The officer, recognizing at once that in these boys were 
that fire and daring of which soldiers are made, took them 
to the captain, and they were at once enrolled as soldiers 
in the Spanish army, pledged to fight for Ferdinand and 
Isabella against the French. 

Now the three lads separated; and Pizarro, with whom 
we have — in this story especially — to do, dressed in the 
showy uniform of his time, began his life as a soldier. 

On reaching Italy, where the war against the French 
usurper was carried on, Pizarro was able only to take part 
in the final battles. But such was his bravery, his strength, 



14 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 



the fire with which he fought, the resolute patience with 
which he endured the hardship of the march and the camp, 




[/:ncA Square is 100 miits. 



[Latitude and Longitude marked in border > 



that, in this short time even, he had won the ofood-will of 
his officers and the respect of his fellow soldiers. 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 15 

On his return to Seville, as reward for his valor he was 
made lieutenant ; and as he marched about the city in his 
beautiful, glittering uniform, I hardly think, except in the 
same eager eye and manly bearing, you would have recog- 
nized him as the dusty, ragged swineherd of a few months 
before. 

For several years he served in the army, gaining every 
year new honors and higher rank ; and had army life been 
always on the field, doubtless even his restless spirit would 
have found ample scope in such a career ; but there were 
the long intervening months of barrack life — stupid, 
intolerable months of imprisonment, so they seemed to 
Pizarro. 

Again the old fever and ambition to win wealth and 
fame in the New World burned within him. A life of bold 
adventure, of continual conflict, even perpetual danger, 
was Pizarro's only dream of happiness. 

Every day, as reports of this wonderful Xew AVorld came 
to his ears, he grew more and more restless and determined. 
Such opportunities for conquest, wealth, power, fame ! 

Already Spain w^as ringing with the reports of the enor- 
mous wealth, the vast lands, the beautiful climate, the 



16 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

strange, copper-colored people of the Xew World. And 
when at last an expedition was fitted out, whose commander 
called for brave, hardy men with military experience, men 
who were strong and daring, ready to brave the hardships 
of the rude forest life, Pizarro hastened to join the party, to 
offer his sword and his genius to the new expedition to the 
New World. 



pIZ;ARRO IN /^MERICA. 

We can no longer think of Pizarro as the enthusiastic, 
daring soldier-boy. Many years have passed since he so 
boldly presented himself to the Spanish officer and enrolled 
himself with the king's soldiers. 

lie is now a full-grown man, hardened by the rigid mili- 
tary life, his body and mind both strengthened by contact 
with the rough experiences of a rough life. Perhaps Pizarro 
was a hero ; no doubt his courage and his ambition were 
commendable ; and we would not filch from him one word 
of the praise and admiration w^hich belong to him. Still 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 17 

we cannot but be glad that such ruthless, defiant, selfish 
characters as the adventurer are not in this day needed to 
sustain our civilization and to promote our progress. We 
are glad that, in this day, the self-made man knows that to 
be truly honored and respected, to be of real help and 
value to his fellow-men, he must not, in his struggle for 
self-elevation, allow himself to grow so selfish and hardened 
as to lose all the finer, gentler, nobler qualities of man- 
hood. 

Physical courage in Pizarro's day, boys, was no doubt 
in the minds of the people, the grandest thing; but in 
these days, the world expects something better than that of 
its heroes. Men like Cortes and Pizarro are well to read 
about — we need to read about them in fact; but don't 
take them for your models. Remember that the world's 
heroes to-day must not only be brave, ambitious, progres- 
sive, but they must withal be gentle-men. 

Brevity is the soul of wit, they say; yes, and it's the 
very pith of a sermon, isn't it? So let us go back again to 
Pizarro, who, if he isn't to-day, was, at least, then, in the 
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, the type of a "great 
hero." 



18 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

Amid sturdy men like liimself, filled with the same fire 
of cupidity and thirst for fame and conquest, Pizarro entered 
heart and soul into the schemes laid before him during the 
long voyage. Conscious that he himself was able to com- 
mand, he determined to lose no opportunity for pushing 
himself into such positions as would better his fortunes. 



]^iqHT WITH THE |NDIANg. 

On reaching the New World, he was at once taken into 
the confidence of Alonzo de Ojeda, one of the boldest and 
fiercest of the Spanish adventurers there — a man who was 
famous already for the daring with which he assailed the 
natives, and the pitiless way in which he destroyed them, 
broke up their families, and sold them into slavery. 

Now, Ojeda had been made governor of a part of the 
Isthmus of Darien, and was sadly in need of another, as 
daring as himself, to go there and overcome the native 
Indian. Pizarro, according to Ojeda's judgment, was just 
the man for the occasion; and the occasion, according to 
Pizarro's judgment, was just the one for Pizarro. 



FKANCISCO PIZARRO. 19 

Although warned of the hostility of the natives, Pizarro 
and Ojeda set forth in excellent spirits for the Isthmus. 
They were indeed a well-mated pair of oiBcers, fear being 
as much a stranger to the one as to the other. 

But for all that, the expedition was doomed to fail. No 
sooner had their ship's keels grated upon the shore than 
down from the hills and out from the forests swarmed the 
natives, armed with their deadly, poisoned arrows. 

In an hour seventy Spaniards lay dead upon the shore ; 
and the rest, many of them already writhing in the agony 
of death from their poison wounds, were driven back to 
their ships. Ojeda himself, cutting his way through the 
infuriated savages, escaped half-dead to the forest. There 
he was found the following day, and carried, fainting, to 
his vessel. 

But Ojeda was not the man to die or to be discouraged 
by one defeat. Calling Pizarro to him as soon as he was 
able to speak, he gave the colony into his charge, and 
made arrangements to go back to Hispaniola, from whence 
they had come, for help. 

For fifty long weary days did Pizarro and his companions 
wait for Ojeda's return. And now, so few of the men 



•20 



FRA.NCISCO PIZAKRO. 




FRAXCISCO PIZARRO. 21 

lived, that their one ship could cany them all ; and Pizarro 
set sail from the wretched place for Ilispaniola. 



pIZ;ARRO JoiNg ^ALBOA. 

In no wise discouraged, however, Pizarro at once joined 
the forces of Balboa, the governor-general of this same 
Isthmus. Balboa had been told by friendly Indians that 
beyond the Isthmus was a great and mighty ocean, ^ as 
great and as broad as the Atlantic. If this was true, Bal- 
boa was determined to be the first to gaze upon the undiscov- 
ered waters. So, getting together a band of his strongest and 
sturdiest men, and taking with him a herd of cruel blood- 
hounds, Balboa, with Pizarro as his lieutenant, set out 
again for the Isthmus of Darien. 

There were danger and glory both in this expedition, and 
in both Pizarro had his share. A friendly chief, Ponca, 
accompanied Balboa as guide. Coming out from the dense 
forest one morning, Ponca cried, "There! there I from 
that mountain you can see the great ocean rolling at your 
feet ! •' 



22 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

Although yet far distant, Balboa pushed eagerly onward. 
But they were now in the country of hostile Indians. 
Down came the tribes, showering upon the white men 
their arrows, and attacking them with spears and 
clubs. 

"Fire upon them ! " was Pizarro's command. Instantly 
out blazed the fire and smoke, the echo thundering on and 
on from mountain to mountain. The Indians, having never 
heard a gun-report, ran shrieking and howling back to their 
village. The Spaniards pursued, and no less than six hun- 
dred of them fell dead. The few who escaped fled to the 
mountain, and Balboa and his men were free to enter their 
village and plunder to their heart's content. Much food 
was found stored away in the huts of the village ; and 
what was almost dearer still to the Spanish adventurers 
soul, gold and silver and precious stones. 

Leaving a number of his men to guard the store, Balboa 
pushed on to the mountain. It was at daybreak, one bright 
Septem])or morning, in 1513, that the foot of the mountain 
was readied. 

"This is tlie peak," repeated Ponca, "from which you 
can see our great ocean." 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 23 

I'iRST YlEW OF THE QcEAN, 

Balboa's heart beat with excitement. '' If this is true," said 
he in his ambitious mind, "l shall be a discoverer — a dis- 
coverer ! — and I shall be famous throughout all Europe." 

'' My good men," said he, turning to his followers, ''rest 
you here. I alone will climb to the summit. Mine shall be 
the eyes first to behold this wonderful ocean that glistens on 
the other side of this great wall." 

Then, springing up the mountain side, and from clifl' 
to cliff, he made his way to the summit. His followers 
watched eagerly from below. 

There, in truth, lay spread out before him, the boundless 
waters of the ocean. Balboa was indeed a discoverer ! He 
would indeed be honored by the European nations ! 

Eao'erlv sio-nallino; to his men to follow him, he sank 
down upon the mountain top, overcome by the beauty of 
the scene before him and his own contending thoughts. 

Such beauty I such breadth ! such peace ! Such a picture 
had never entered the vision of Balboa even in his wildest 
dreams. And now, descending upon the ocean side, they 
explored the shore along the Isthmus, collected a goodly 



24 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

amount of treasure, and returned in safety to the 
colony. 

During the absence of Balboa, a new governor had been 
sent over to take the charge of Darien. Balboa might well 
have resisted this injustice, but gallant cavalier that he was, 
he welcomed him with all honor. 

It is a pity the new governor was not more deserv- 
ing of this generous treatment from Balboa. But as was 
too often the case among these adventurers, personal inter- 
ests and the gratification of selfish ambitions overruled ; and, 
after having gleaned from Balboa all the information neces- 
sary to carry on the exploration of the coast of the new 
ocean, this new governor ordered that Balboa be set aside, 
and if he made trouble, that he be arrested and thrown 
into prison. 



pIZ;ARRO j^EAD? AN ^XPEDITION. 

The new governor then fitted out an expedition in his 
own name, putting Pizarro at the head of it. It was an 
exi)edition fatal to many a brave Spaniard ; for on reaching 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 25 

the Pacific coast, Pizarro divided his forces, and with one 
part set off for a group of islands, on whose shores he had 
been told were pearls without number. Xo sooner had 
the Spaniards landed than the natives, convinced that they 
came on no friendly visit, fell upon them in true Indian 
fashion. A long, hard battle followed, audit was only after 
great loss that the Spaniards were able to get possession of 
the island. As reward for all this loss of life, Pizarro found 
a vast number of very large and brilliant pearls, and also a 
large quantity of gold ; enough, one would think, to satisfy 
even the most grasping and ambitious man. 

When the new governor saw all these golden signs of 
wealth, he immediately resolved to cross the Isthmus to the 
point now called Panama, and there, on the Pacific coast, 
build the palace of the future capital. 

Pizarro accompanied the governor to the new site for the 
capital city. There, having now gained wealth and fame, 
he laid out for himself a fine estate, as we should call it in 
these days, was served by a retinue of Indian servants, and 
was held in high respect as one of the cavaliers who had 
had his part in the conquering and settling of this great 
country. 



26 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

€lTIEg OF {^OLD. 

Pizarrowas now more than forty years of age, and except 
we remember that discoYery and exploration were the 
watchwords of the time, we should almost think he would 
be "a- weary" of his life, so full of hardship and of strife, and 
would be glad indeed to liye, for a while at least, a quiet 
life, surrounded by ease and comfort. 

But selfish as Pizarro was, his selfishness happened not 
to find its fulness in this manner of liying. 

His bold adyenturous spirit longed rather for the stirring 
excitement of the battle-field, and the perils of exploration. 
Day after day, as he looked oyer his broad and beautiful 
fields, he saw no beauty in their quiet, and no comfort in 
their possession. According to his estimate of what a 
successful life should be, of what a hero is, he was but in 
the swine-herd days again 

What to him were wealth and comfort compared with the 
fame of his first gallant chief, Balboa ! what compared with 
the world-renowned conquests of Cortes I 

Well, there's the old saying that "where there's a will 
there's a way." Pizarro certainly had will enough, and so 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 27 

it came about, I presume, that one day there came into port 
an explorer who had been far down the Pacific coast. 

^' There," said he, "are natives very diflferent from these 
savages of Darien. There are cities there, and gold and 
precious stones." 

It was the same old, old story that had urged on every 
Spaniard since the discovery of the Xew AYorld ; the old, old 
story that had excited their cupidity, urged them on in 
their cruelty, and driven them to their death. 

Pizarro's ambition blazed up anew. Already he saw in 
eager anticipation the city that, like Mexico, he should 
overcome. Pizarro and Cortes I Cortes and Pizarro I 

Fortunately for Pizarro, others in the colony had been 
fired by the explorer's story of gold, and all were ready 
together to fit out a fleet. Pizarro was put in command, 
and a force of a hundred brave, sturdy men was gathered 
together. 

AYith this little force, Pizarro set forth upon his journey 
to an undiscovered country, knowing little more than that 
glory or death — as likely one as the other — awaited them 
all. 



28 FRA.NCISCO PIZARRO. 

Like Columbus or Cortes, he set forth, his heart bursting 
with hope and ambition; and like them, too, he had 
before him a conquest, of the greatness of which, in his 
wildest flights, he had never dreamed. 



JhZ JiiAND OF THE |nCA. 

While Pizarro is on his way, let us take a flight in mind 
to this mysterious land to which our hero is to come. 

It is, indeed, a maryellous country. More marvellous 
than even the explorer who had told Pizarro of it had 
imagined. Nearing the shore, one would hardly be attracted 
to the country, and would hardly dream of the wonders 
beyond the mountains. It doesn't seem as if the soil were 
worthy of cultivation even, so barren and craggy do 
the mountains look. But let us go nearer. Wonders 
upon wonders ! What manner of people are here, pray, 
that they build bridges and canals and aqueducts? And 
see I the sides of the mountains, which from the ocean 
looked so barren, are covered with gardens, terraced one 
above the other, to the very tops. And there are houses, 
too, upon these terraces. Upon the mountain sides 



FRANCISCO PJZARRO. 



29 



browse herds of long-haired sheep — llamas we call them 
now ; 




and upon the high table-lands on the tops of the moun- 
tains are other towns and villages, with their long, straight 
roads, their thrifty dwellings, and their luxuriant gardens. 

This is Peru, the land of the Inca, as the Peruvians 
called their ruler. 



30 FRAT^CISCO PIZARRO. 

]4ow Jhey J^ived. 

The Peruvians, vre may as well learn here, were Sun- 
worshippers. The Sun, they belieyed, in order that his 
chosen people, the Peruvians, might be prosperous, had 
sent his only son and his only daughter to live among 
them, and to teach them such arts as would give them 
riches and power. 

The brother founded his capital at Cuzco, and then 
taught the Peruvians how to cultivate their farms and 
gardens, to supply themselves with water, to build canals, 
bridges and houses. Then the sister came ; she took the 
women under her instruction, teaching them to weave, to 
spin, and to cook. 

So it was that the empire of Peru was founded 1)y the 
children of the Sun ; and when this brother and sister had 
gone aAvay, the son's children had been given charge over 
the people, and the realm had ever since passed down 
from one generation to another of these children of the 
Sun — the Incas. 

All high places in church or state or battle-field were 
held by the members of the families descended from the Sun. 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 31 

In regard to that Tnca who was to l3ecome the next 
monarch, these rude people had certain established con- 
ditions, from which many a modern monarchy might well 
learn useful lessons. He was obliged to pass a life of 
study, to be skilled in military affairs, learned in the his- 
tory of his people, and, before taking his throne, to prove 
in severe examinations his ability to rule intelligently over 
his people. 

When, however, the Inca was made king, then his word 
was absolute, his will divine law. Standing, as he now 
did, as the representative of the Sun, he was an object 
of worship. Even the Inca nobles could now appear 
before him only with bared feet and uncovered head, 
carrjdng upon their backs a burden in token of their 
acknowledged inferiority. 

The monarch was the high-priest also ; and in this 
double office ruled both church and state. Such beautiful 
palaces of silver and gold, studded with sparkling gems, 
as the Incas had ! Even the glories of the Montezumas 
paled before them I And their temple ! Great bars of 
gold for cornices, rods of shining silver for the altars, and 
the walls covered from floor to ceiling with golden plates 
and ornaments ! 



32 



FRiiNCISCO PIZARRO. 




KUINS OF REPUTED TEMPLE OF THE SUN AT PACHA-CAMAC. 

The Inca was never tyrannical, though perfect obedience 
was demanded. The fiirms were re-divided every year, 
and the people were thus never allowed to grow rich, 
neither were they ever poor. Each farmer did a share 
of the tilling of the farms of the nobility, then he performed 
a certain amount of lal)or upon those lands dedicated to 
the Sun, besides which he must do his share towards 
cultivating the farms of the sick and aged — the rest of 
his time was his own. 



FRANCISCO PIZA.RRO. 33 

Every trade, every art was, in a similar way, controlled 
by a central government ; and whether wise or not, this form 
of control certainly had the effect of producing the greatest 
harmony between rulers and people, success in all arts and 
trades, prosperity in their nation, and power over their 
enemies 

Such was the beautiful land of the Incas. Such was 
the peaceful, law-abiding people upon whom Pizarro was so 
soon to descend. Such the quiet, prosperous nation, so soon 
to lie a noble ruin at Pizarro's feet. 



piz;ARRo'g Journey. 

Pizarro was brave and daring. Fear was no more known 
to his nature now than it had been in his boyhood. Still, 
with only a hundred men, journeying through a rough, 
unknown country, inhabited by hostile Indians, what could 
even the bravest commander hope to gain? Had the jeal- 
ous governor, the same one who had so unjustly overthrown 
Balboa, given Pizarro a fleet of any size, and forces of any 
number worthy of such an undertaking, Pizarro would have 
been sure of success. 



34 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

AVith even his few men, Pizarro pushed his wav south- 
ward nearly to Peru. On the journey he fought desper- 
ately with hostile tribes along the shore, often driving 
them back into the forests, frightened and subdued. 
A large amount of gold was thus collected, and many 
precious stones. But in all these battles Spaniards fell, 
until at last Pizarro, knowing that to push on was worse 
than useless, eml^arked his few remaining men, and turned 
his vessel homev>'ard. Landing on an island not far from 
Darien, he sent his treasure to the governor by a fellow- 
A^oyager, with the request that a larger fleet be fitted out, 
nnd that a force be given him sufficiently large to conquer 
the peoi)le in this southern gold country. 

Again the governor was seized with jealousy as he viewed 
the goklen treasure and heard the wonderful reports about 
.those southern Indians. But Luque, a priest, asserting 
his authority as church official, compelled the governor to 
do as he should. Funds were procured, shii)S built, and 
again l^izarro stalled forth, — this time with Almagro, his 
faithful friend. 

Togetlier they sailed directly to the farthest point along 
the coast which had, in a previous voyage, been reached by 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 



35 



AlmagTo. Eeconnoitering here, Pizarro was convinced that 
they were upon the border-lands of hostile, warlike tribes. 
Surelj" more men would be needed. Accordingly Almagro 
returned to Panama, ^hile Pizarro and his few men held 
their position until he should return. It was a long and 
dreary waiting. Sickness, starvation, treachery sur- 
rounded them on every side. Xo wonder the bravest of 
them loudly bewailed their wretched plight, and regretted 
bitterly the folly that had led them from comfortable homes 
to such a land as this. 

Here, as ever in times of sore distress, Pizarro proved 
the heroism of his character. Sharing his last mouthful 
with his men, working with them and for them, by his 
courage and patience and ready sympathy, he kept them 
from despair, until at last, when hope seemed almost dead, 

: Ruiz, who had been sent to coast along the shore, appeared 

I in sight. 

With food and gold, and with a thrilling story of the 

\ prospects farther south, Ruiz revived the ambition in these 
half-dead men, and soon no word was heard other than 

i that expressing willingness, yes, even impatience to go on 

■ to the wonderful lands farther south. 



3G FRAISTCISCO PIZARRO. 

AlmasTro soon returned from Panama, brino;ino: with him 
some eighty men, all eager for adventure. A new gover- 
nor had been installed during their voyage, and welcome 
news it was indeed to Alma^To and Pizarro. 



/k Second yVxTEMPT. 

Now, all miseries and discontent forgotten, spirits 
revived bv the arrival of food and clothes as well as by the 
courage and eagerness of the eighty new arrivals, — all set 
forth again down the Paciiic coast. 

It seemed now as if Pizarro deserved success ; that is, if 
such a cruel errand as that upon which he had set forth 
could 1)e said to merit favor. Surely he had proved him- 
self no coward, and had bravely held his own in time of 
trial. 

For a few days all seemed prosperous. Then arose a 
g{\\() of wind — such, Pizarro said, as had never been known 
on Athmtic waters. Then storms burst upon them, and 
for a time it seemed as if the brave sailors had escaped 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. -7 

famine and massacre only to be now destroyed by the tem- 
pest. 

Putting into St. Matthew's Bay, they were sheltered 
until the storm had passed. 

Then, on again they sped, rejoicing in the bright, spark- 
ling waters, and in the increasing signs of thrift along the 
shore. 

One morning, as they were skimming along, full of hope 
and eagerly watching each bend in the coast, Pizarro 
called, "AlmaOTo ! AlmaaTo ! see this yillao'e I It has 
houses ! " 

"And streets ! '' cried Almagro, aliye in an instant. 

"And look, the people glitter with golden ornaments ! " 

The natiyes on board told them this was one of the 
famous towns of their land ; and, what appealed far more 
than its beauty or its fame to the Spaniards, that the pretty 
riyer winding through the town was full of large and rare 
emeralds. 

"Let us land ! " said the impetuous Pizarro. 

"Let us land !" echoed the greedy sailors. And so busy 
were they with the hurried preparations for landing, and so 
filled were their minds with yisions of great, green emeralds. 



38 FRA.NCISCO PIZARRO. 

with which they would load themselves and their ships, that 
thev hardly saw the rush of the natives to the shore until 
the javelins whizzed about their ears. 

Their situation was now one of peril. AVhat Ijut quick 
work on the part of every sailor could save them ! 

" To the ship ! to the ship ! *' called the commander. "To 
the ship ! to the ship ! *' shouted the sailors. Then followed 
a rush for life ! Everyone flew to his place ! Escape 
seemed hopeless ! Already the Indians were at the waters 
edge ! Canoes were darting out from every nook I It was 
indeed a moment of excitement. Almagro and Pizarro 
seemed everywhere. "For your lives, my men ! For your 
Uves I " 



Jhey are ^aved. 



And what do you suppose saved them? No flash of 
lightning from a clear sky, as the novels have it ; no sud- 
den ecli))se of the sun. No supernatural uprising of old 
Neptune. Simply this — one soldier in his hurry and 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 39 

flurry lost his balance and fell from his horse. Imagine the 
surprise of the fallen soldier and all the rest, when the natives, 
instead of seizing upon him, dropped their hows, gave one 
howl, and fled up the mountain. 

"What is it?" cried Pizarro, pausing in his work. 

"They thought the horse and the rider were one animal," 
said the native captives, gloomily • " and they were fright- 
ened to see it separate itself." 

A loud laugh went up from the rescued hand, and they 
lost no time in getting themselves on board, and in 
readiness to leave these inhospitable shores. 



y^LMAGRO GOES BACK TO pANAMA. 

"It is fool-hardiness," said Pizarro, as they sailed away, 
"to attempt to attack such swarms of savages as there 
seem to be along this shore, with such a little company as 
this. I will go back to Panama for help. 

" You will not," said Almagro angrily. " I myself will go." 
"You're a coward I" shouted Pizarro. "You dare not 



40 FEANCISCO PIZARRO. 

face the possible misery of famine while waiting for more 
men. You w^ould have me always stay while you choose the 
far easier part of going to the land of plenty. I say it is 
this time my right to go." 

A bitter quarrel ensued. How it ended matters little. 
Enough for us just here to know that Almagro carried the 
point and went to Panama. 

When the sailors learned that they were again to be left 
to the mercies of this strange land and still stranger people, 
they rebelled. It was of no avail, however; and when 
they found escape impossible, they wrote letters to their 
friends in Panama, telling them a pitiful story of suffering 
and ill-treatment. These letters they concealed in bales of 
cotton which Almagro was to carry to Panama. 

These letters when found were taken to the governor, 
and appeal made to him for the rescue of these men. The 
governor, exasperated at the story these letters told, sternly 
rebuked Almagi-o for concealing from him the truth. "Not 
only will I send no more aid," said he, '' but I will at once 
dispatch a ship to bring Pizarro and the ill-used men back 
to Panama." 

Nothing Almagro could say would change the decree ; 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 41 

and accordingly when the Spanish vessel appeared off the 
coast where Pizarro awaited it, it was not to bring the 
longed-for aid, but to bring an order from the governor 
that to Pizarro was more bitter than death. 

AVhen the ship's commander delivered the governor's 
order, the men were wild with delight. And if you could 
have seen them, — sick, starving, their clothes in tatters, 
drenched with rain and covered with mud — you would 
not have blamed them. 



pIZ;ARRO'p ^RAVE ^AND. 

Pizarro was determined not to go back to Panama. "It 
would mean defeat — disgrace ! I will not go back like a 
wounded dog to confess myself a failure. I know that 
below here is a land of riches. I will not turn back with 
wealth and conquest at my right hand!" Then, striding 
into the midst of his men, he said, "Comrades, you have 
now a great question to decide. We stand here where two 
roads meet. One is full of peril and privation, hard labor, 



42 



FRAIS^CISCO PIZARRO. 




FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 43 

storms, famine, the poisoned arrow, the midnight attack of 
angry savages ; but that road leads to Peru. Peru ! with 
its untold wealth, and the endless glory of its conquest. 

The other road leads home — to Panama, with its plenty, 
its ease and indolence ; where you will be clothed and fed, 
mayhap, but where contempt will greet you, poverty and 
obscurity. Now choose your way. For my part, I re- 
main." Then, clraAvinga deep line upon the sand, he said, 
stepping over on the southern side, " Those of you who will 
return to Panama, stay where you are ; but you brave men 
who dare stand by your captain, who dare share his dangers 
and his hardships, his honors and triumphs, follow me and 
cross this line." 

For a moment, perfect silence. The men glanced at each 
other, some hung their heads, others crept awaj^ to the rear. 
Then one stepped over, then another, and another. Thirteen 
in all. A small band you will say to attempt to conquer a 
country. But Pizarro knew Almagro would hear the story 
and would lose no time in sending provisions, and perhaps, 
soldiers. 

For seven long months these fourteen men waited and 
watched for help. Sickness, starvation, insects, poisonous 



44 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

reptiles, eyerji:hing of horror that the country could bring 
forth seemed added to their desolation. 

At last a vessel came in sight. With what eagerness the 
men rushed to the shore ! with what desperation they 
signalled ! Fortunately the crew was watching for them. 
The prow was turned shoreward ; the men waded out and 
climbed up the vesseFs sides. 

It was indeed a vessel sent by Almagro ; but there were 
no soldiers on it, for the governor, though willing that pro- 
visions should l)e sent these foolhardy men as they seemed 
to him, still opposed firmly the sacrifice of more men. 

Pizarro was disappointed indeed. But he was not the 
man to sulk or to refuse such aid as the vessel had brought. 
The provisions at least were acceptable as the half starved 
men soon proved. And it was woiih something to get even 
a little fresh powder for their guns. 

Pizarro had no idea of returning in the vessel to Panama. 
" AVe'll die here rather than go back there to be jeered at," 
said he, and his brave men were of the same mind. So the 
good vessel, instead of carrying them home, bore them 
farther south, nearer the land of gold — the land which some 
day Pizarro was sure he should conquer. 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 45 

Jhe €ity of yuMBEz;. 

It was a daring deed, no doubt, for Pizarro to set forth 
with this one little vessel into a country which was in all 
probability inhabited by millions of brave warriors. But 
as he said, death was more bearable by far than the jeers of 
his country-men. Well he knew that all his daring, all 
the suffering he had undergone would count nothing with 
them were he not able to bring proof that a great empire 
existed at least in South America. 

So they sailed on past the Island of Gallo, past Cape St. 
Helena. At last the Gulf of Guayaquil was reached. 

"See! see!" cried the Indian interpreters. "Here is 
the land of the Incas ! See, there is Quito ! And there on 
the coast is the city of Tumbez, and not far away the city 
of Puna." 

Pizarro gazed longingly at this country, which, for the 
present, he must be content to look upon, gain some in- 
formation regarding it perhaps, and then sail quietly away. 

Pizarro made up his mind to approach Tumbez, and, if 
possible, land and enter the city. 

"Let us enter as friends," said he, " and see to it that we 



46 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

do no harm and in no wise arouse suspicion in the natives 
of our real object." 

Tumbez was a wonderful place to the eyes of those 
Spaniards, who had never dreamed of such splendor even 
in the " land of gold." The strong fortresses up among the 
crags, the aqueducts, the temples, the palaces, the broad, 
well-kept streets all filled the Spaniards with wonder and 
delight. The people, too, dressed in gay colors and glitter- 
ing bracelets and chains of gold and silver, served to in- 
tensify their visions of future conquest and their greedy 
longing for gold. 

Down flocked the natives to the shore, filled with wonder 
on their part at the great white-winged bird coming up their 
harbor. Up and down the shore they ran, shouting, calling 
and waving their hands, A boat load of natives pushed off 
from the shore, full of curiosity, and eager to be the first 
to examine the strange creatures. 

'' Let them come close to our vessel," said Pizarro. 
"Tell them," said he, "that we come as friends, and ask 
them to send us provisions. Tell them, too, that we wish 
to send one of our men ashore to speak with their 
chief." 



fkancisco pizarro. 47 

Jhe Y/elcome of the JMative^, 

The chief, honest himself, and supposing the Spaniards 
to be honest likewise, sent at once a boat-load of fruit, 
potatoes, corn, game, and fish, and with it a noble messen- 
ofer of hiirh rank, who should welcome Pizarro and bear 
greetings from the chief. This noble was richly dressed, of 
dignified bearing, and had a handsome, intelligent face. 
You may be sure Pizarro and his men behaved their very 
best towards this stranger ; allowed him to examine every 
part of the vessel, regaled him with a tempting dinner, and 
finally sent him away delighted with the great white-winged 
bird and the wonderful strangers. 

Such an odd little incident occurred the next morning ! 
Pizarro, in return for the courtesy of the chief, or governor, 
on the preceding day, sent one of his men and a negro who 
had come with the Spaniards from Panama, to the city with 
pork and chickens as a gift to the governor. No sooner 
had Molina and the negro stepped on shore than they were 
surrounded by a crowd of chattering men and Avomen who 
stared at them in amazement. They wondered at Molina's 
fair skin and long brown beard ; but still more they 



48 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

wondered at the negro's black skin. One woman, true to 
her instinct for cleaning, twisted her scarf over her finger 
and attempted to scrul3 oft' the black. This made the negro 
throw back his head and laugh. Then the Indians saw his 
rows of white ivories and it was their turn to laugh. 

Suddenly one of the little fowls, Pizarro had sent, thrust 
out his head with a hearty '~ Cock-a-doodle-do ! cock-a- 
doodle-do I " The natives were struck dumb. '' AVhat does 
the little fellow say? What does he say?*' asked they, 
when they had somewhat recovered from their surprise. 

The utmost good humor prevailed now, and it was in the 
midst of a crowd of admiring friends that Pizarro's men 
made their way to the royal palace. 

Here they found a handsome building, surrounded by a 
guard. Within dwelt the governor, attended by number- 
less servants, who served their master in the most respectful 
manner. On every side throughout the city were evidences 
of wealth and thrift. 

Pizarro, delighted with what he heard of the apparent 
wealth of the city, sent on the next day another man to 
display the wonders of the Spanish arms, as well as to learn 
more of those conditions of the city which should, by and 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 49 

by, in Panama, be of value to him in securing the co-opera- 
tion of the governor there. 

This man, Candia, entered the city, and boldly marched 
up the main street carrying his gun upon his shoulder. 

'' AVhat is it you carry with you on your shoulder ? " 
asked the curious people. "Make it speak I Make it 
speak I " 

And Candia did make it speak. Setting up a board, he 
aimed at it and fired. The natives, who had been carefully 
watching every movement, and Avondering what the board 
had to do with the gun, fell upon their knees and shrieked 
when they saw the flash and heard the crash of the splin- 
tered board. 

On Candia's return to the ship, Pizarro, convinced that 
the city must indeed be rich and wonderful, sailed on far- 
ther south, visiting from time to time the towns along the 
coast, and receiving always a generous welcome from the 
people. 

After a few weeks of pleasant voyaging, Pizarro returned 
to Tumbez. Here he left three of his own men, and car- 
ried in their places two of the natives. Pizarro was far- 
sighted ; and he saw that not only would it be of advantage 



50 FRANCISCO FIZARRO. 

to present these natives to the Governor of Darien, but 
that later they would prove of great value as interpreters 
and o'uides. 



pIZ;ARRO AND THE {^OVERNOR. 

Full of hope, Pizarro now sailed for Panama. First to 
meet him at the quay stood his faithful friends, Almagro 
and Luque. Such a story as he had to tell ! And how 
their eyes glistened when they saw the gold and silver 
trinkets, the rare and beautiful cloths, the sparkling gems, 
the strange, long-haired sheep, which Pizarro had brought 
to prove the truth of his story. 

"But, Pizarro," said Almagro, ''the governor is bitterly 
opposed to any more exploring. He will give us no aid — 
perhaps not his consent to go even." 

"What can be done?" said Pizarro, not one whit dis- 
couraged at such a prospect. "But one thing ; and that is 
to appeal directly to the King of Spain. I will go to him 
myself!" 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 51 

So the three friends, Pizarro, Almagro, and Luque delib- 
erated well upon the plan ; and at length it was decided that 
Pizarro should indeed go to Spain and state the case to the 
king, carrying with him the gold and silver he had brought 
with him from Peru, and also the natives, who should tell 
their story for themselves. 



pI^ARRO IN ^PAIN. 

We need not follow Pizarro on his voyage. It was 
pretty much like the voyage across the Atlantic to-day, 
except that his conveyance was a sailing vessel, and was 
so at the mercy of " fair winds and foul '" that it was seven 
long weeks before the fiery-hearted Pizarro reached the 
Spanish coast. 

The vessel put in at the port of Seville — the same beau- 
tiful Seville which more than twenty-five years before he 
had left a mere soldier lad. There stood the very same 
glittering spire, there towered the same mountain, over 



52 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

whose sides he and his boy-companions had so eagerly fled. 
Strange things had happened since then. Through what 
successes, defeats, perils and dangers had he not passed ! 
What a difierence between his sailing forth from this old 
Spanish city and his return to it ! Long before, his fame 
had reached the land of his birth. The obscure, ragged 
little wanderer upon the face of the earth now found him- 
self a hero. His wonderful valor, his brilliant achieve- 
ments, his explorations, he found were the common topic of 
conversation. Just as so long ago he had listened, with 
wide-open eyes and mouth, to the sailor stories of the earl- 
ier explorers, so now the boys of Seville were listening 
to the sailor stories of Pizarro's own exploits. 

Hardly had our hero landed when he received an invita- 
tion from the King to come into his royal presence and 
report to him the story of his adventures. 

Pizarro was received by his royal highness in a great 
hall, filled with the nobility of Spain. It was a brilliant 
array of richly-dressed men and women that met the wan- 
derer's sight as he entered the hall. One face among them 
all attracted him most. It was a dark, sunburned face, 
bronzed and toughened by exposure to wind and weather. 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 53 

It was, indeed, the face of our old friend Cortes, the con- 
queror of Mexico. 

" Come forward," said the king, " and tell us of this won- 
derful land which lies so far to the south." 

We already know the story Pizarro was so eager to tell ; 
and when we think how daring and how enthusiastic this 
adventurer was, and how strong were the proofs he brought 
of the truth of his report, it is but natural his words 
were listened to with eager interest and sympathy. King 
Charles, it is said, sat spell-bound during the whole story, 
eagerly drinking in every word. And when Pizarro's 
attendants brought into the hall the odd-looking Peruvian 
sheep, the chest of golden ornaments and the richly-woven 
cloths, the king sprang from his chair with a burst of 
admiration, saying, "Pizarro, Pizarro! Brave and gallant 
man ! Honorable and worthy subject ! Wonderful are 
your deeds, and beyond compensation are your discoveries. 
\ You have opened to Spain a dominion richer than her own. 
You have no rival but our noble Cortes in the greatness of 
your gifts to Spain. To you shall be granted the permis- 
sion and the aid to go again to Peru and do with that coun- 
try as Cortes has done with Mexico. O noble man! 



54 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

Daring adventurer ! Never can Spain repay her debt of 
gratitude to you ! " 

And Charles the Fifth called at once his scribes and drew 
up papers, giving to Pizarro the authority to proceed in his 
ambitious scheme as he wished. 

While his vessels were being fitted out, he made a jour- 
ney to his old home — the little village in which he had 
lived his swine-herd life. His proud, soldier-father had 
long since died, and his peasant mother had passed away, 
never knowing of the honors that had attended her son's 
career. Four great, broad-shouldered brothers, however, 
greeted him, and proudly entertained him as grandly as, 
in their humble life, they were able, losing no opportunity 
to avail themselves of whatever honor and riches their hero- 
l)rother was willing to bestow upon them. 

Fancy the amazement and chagrin on the part of the gov- 
ernor, when, a few weeks later, Pizarro with his new ships 
and soldiers sailed into the port at Panama. Pizarro was 
now tlie hero of the hour. Those who had sneered now 
fawned upon him ; and those who had feared to aid him 
now pressed their services upon him. 

"Surprising," said Pizarro to his friend Almagro, "how 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 55 

a king's approval gilds my plans in the eyes of mv good 
friends here. However, let us take advantage of all this 
good will, fickle as it is, get our forces together, and sail 
away before this fair wind changes." 

And so it was that a little later Pizarro's fleet, amid the 
cheers of the people and the booming of cannon, sailed out 
from the bay, southward to the wonderful land of Peru. 



pI^ARRO'p I^ETURN TO pERU, 



Pizarro was now filled with a desperate determination to 

make the conquest of the country before him. Xow he had 

. authority. Now he had power. Xow he had an army, 

j loyal, brave, and filled with devotion to their daring 

j. leader. 

\\ Having landed at St. Matthew's Bay, Pizarro sent the 
j ships back to Panama for re-enforcements, and at once pro- 
ceeded into the country. "^Vhy dally," said he, "we 
have come to take Peru. Here it is. Let us beain at 



56 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

once. And let us show there is no failure for such as 
we." ; 

The march inland, like any march in an unknown coun- 
try was hard and full of peril. But all this the Spaniards had 
expected, and so were prepared for. Many days of march- 
ing at last brought them upon a beautiful little village 
nestled down among the hills along the shores of a shining 
river 

"Now for our first attack!" cried Pizarro. "Without 
delay, now^ at once^ let us rush down upon this village." 

Before the peaceful natives could even gather their fami- 
lies together for flight, the Spanish army fell upon them, 
slaughtering some, driving others to the forests, ransacking 
and burning their homes. 

In these huts the soldiers found not only fruit and food, 
but quantities of gold and silver, and many beautiful 
stones. 

" See ! see ! " cried a soldier, bringing forward a beautiful 
green stone. 

" It looks like an emerald ! " cried a greedy priest. 
"Pound it with a stone. If it does not break, it is an emer- 
ald." 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 57 

Of course the green jewel broke beneath the blow, and 
the ignorant soldier hurried away eager for other plunder, 
while the tricky old monk carefully concealed in the folds 
of his robe the precious bits of emerald, the value of 
which he knew only too well. 

The plunder from this village was carefully stored away 
in the vessels when they returned, and were sent to Panama 
with most glowing reports of what had already been learned 
of the wonderful new land. 

Pizarro continued his line of march, keeping close to the 
coast. After long days of hard marching, during which no 
more villages of plenty appeared upon which to feast them- 
selves, with sickness, and no little discouragement among 
the men, Pizarro found himself once more on the very 
frontier of Peru. 

"I shall at once attack Tumbez," said he. The forces 
accordingly embarked, and directed their course to that city 
on the coast. 

Sailing in between Puna (a city off the coast) and Tum- 
bez, Pizarro's vessels were met by canoes filled with natives. 
"Welcome, welcome" said they, as the vessels drew near. 
" We come to invite you to land upon our island and remain 
with us as our guests." 



58 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

You may be sure Pizarro did not wait to be urged. 
Nothing was more to his mind than that a city of Peru 
should be entered under such delightful circumstances. 
What the circumstances might be under which, by and by, 
either he or the natives would be forced to leave, he did 
not so much care at present. 

On reaching the island, the Spaniards were met by 
crowds and crowds of natives dressed in rich aud gaudy 
cloaks, covered with gold and precious stones. Such deaf- 
ening music, too, as burst forth whenPizarro landed. Such 
prancing about and capering ! Such howling and singing I 
— all in honor of the strange white people who had come, 
borne over the waters by the great white birds. 

This hearty reception delighted Pizarro's ambitious soul ; 
for, knowing that these Puna Indians were bitter enemies 
of Tumbez, he thought he saw here a chance to work this 
enmity to his own advantage. 

But these natives were wiser than he thought. They, 
too, could play a part, as Pizarro soon learned. 

For several days Pizarro's men rested and feasted on 
this pleasant island, lording it over the simple-hearted 
natives in a way that no doubt was vastly agreeable to the 
Spaniards. But one day a servant of Pizarro's came to 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 59 

him and said, "I have a suspicion that these natives are not 
what they seem. I have a suspicion that under all their 
seeming friendship there is plotting of some sort against us." 

Pizarro was startled. At once he called his officers 
together and set out into the village. Sure enough ! there 
in the villao;e were the natives hard at work makino; hosts 
of arrow^s and javelins. In the forests was the cacique him- 
self, drilling his people and preparing them for an attack 
upon their unw^elcome guests. Surely, the Puna men were 
not as foolish and simple-hearted as they had seemed. 

No time was to be lost. Quickly summoning his men, 
an attack was made upon the house of the cacique. He 
himself was captured, and his house ransacked and robbed 
of its jewels and fine cloths. 

The natives fled in dismay. But Pizarro knew that no 
time was to be lost. The natives w^ould revenge them- 
selves for the capture of their chief. All night the Span- 
lards watched, ready to engage in battle. At daybreak a 
great noise arose from the forests, and dow^n upon the 
Spanish camp burst the Indians, clanging their war instru- 
ments, and shouting and yelling, until the very arch of 
heaven seemed to ring. 



60 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

Instantly the Spaniards sent forth a volley of fire upon 
them. It was a short, fierce encounter; but the natiyes, 
with all their numbers, were no match for the cool-headed, 
skilful Spaniards with their deadly fire. 

The Indians turned and fled. Pizarro's men followed, 
pouring out their fire and striking down their foes at every 
step. Then followed a sickening day of wretched plunder, 
destruction and deadly havoc. Those natives who escaped 
capture or massacre fled to the mainland. Nothing re- 
mained now but to deal with the cacique and the other 
prisoners. In the trial that followed Pizarro sternly com- 
manded that the prisoners be put to death, all except the 
cacique; he should be spared on this one condition — that 
he pledge himself ever after to act as an ally of the Span- 
iards, using always his influence in their behalf. 

The first step towards the '' Conquest of Peru " had now 
been taken. Next in order should be the attack on Tum- 
bez. So, getting together his plunder, he sent that ahead 
on rafts, and prepared to follow with his army and his sup- 
plies. In a few hours Pizarro was again in the harbor of 
Tuml)ez, on the very margin of the empire — the land of 
the Incas. 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 61 



pi^ARRO Invader pERU. 



If Pizarro had fancied that his old friends at Tumbez 
were still his friends, and that they were mildly awaiting 
his arrival , he was doomed to sad disappointment and to no 
little unpleasant surprise ; for, on drawing near the shore, and 
seeing nothing of his rafts, he learned all too quickly that 
they had been captured by the natives, assisted no doubt 
by those Puna Indians who had escaped from the island. 

Pizarro hastened into the city. Here, instead of the 
throng of curious natives who had met him in so friendly a 
manner on his visit a few months before, he found only 
deserted streets and buildings. Scouts were at once sent 
out, and soon it was learned that, with the treasures of 
their own city, as well as those taken from the rafts, the 
people had fled into the forests. 

Setting out after them, their camp was soon found, their 
cacique taken prisoner and the natives put to flight. 

," Shame upon you, traitor, to treat my men like this! 
You, who on my last visit here pretended such friendship 
for the Spaniard ! What, pray, did I do on my first visit 
here that you should turn against me like this ? " 



62 FEA^^CISCO PIZARRO. 

The cacique trembled with fear. His eyes grew big, his 
teeth chattered, his knees knocked together, his very hair 
seemed to stand erect. 

"I beg you, great stranger," said he, keeping his eyes ! 
fixed in terror on the great guns, "spare me. It was not I. 
It was my chiefs who did this." 

"Where, then, are the chiefs?" asked Pizarro scornfully. 

"I — I know not. They — they are fled." 

"Put him in irons," ordered Pizarro. "We T\dll not kill 
him. He may be of more use to us alive than dead." 

On the following day Pizarro assembled his men, and 
said to them, "We are now in the lands of the Incas. 
There are great dangers and great difficulties before us. 
There are mountains to cross. There are thirst and hunger 
to be endured — perhaps sickness and death. There are 
not very many of us, and we do not know how great our 
foe may be ; but we have firearms and skill and courage . 
Have we the spirit to go on, to fight, to suffer, to die per- 
haps — all for the glorious hope of enrolling our names in 
history as the conquerors of Peru?" 

" Long live our captain ! Long live Pizarro ! Long 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 63 

live the future governor of Peru ! Lead on. We will fol- 
low. Lead on ! lead on ! " cried his brave followers. 

Then the march began. " Straight at the heart of the 
Incas let us strike, and that, too, at once," said Pizarro. 

In from the coast, up the mountains, across deserts and 
through rich valleys the brave little band marched, until at 
last the garrisoned towns of the Incas were reached. On 
every side the Spaniards were met with kindness from the 
natives, and often with personal welcome from the cacique. 

At last the city of Zaran was reached. Here Pizarro 
learned that a little further on the Indians were drawn up 
in battle array. What did this mean? Had the Inca's 
suspicions been aroused ? Was a combat with these natives 
now so close at hand ? 

Pizarro was prudent as well as daring. He had no men 
to lose in needless risk, neither did he wish to shrink from 
battle, if that was the Inca's meaning. Accordingly he 
sent De Soto, his lieutenant, forward with a body of chosen 
men to reconnoitre. Two weeks passed, and no word 
came. Pizarro, fearing they had been massacred, was just 
on the eve of starting forth in search of them when, to his 
great joy, De Soto appeared. With him was a tall, noble- 



64 



FRINCISCO PIZARRO. 



looking Indian, brilliantly dressed in a richly-bejewelled 
robe and many chains of gold. 




PERUVIAN STONE IDOL AND WATER-POTS FOUND 62 FEET UNDER GROUND. 



*'This," said De Soto, "is the brother of the Inca. He 
comes as messenger from the Inca himself. He brings 
with him as presents from the royal chief these beautiful, 
finely- woven, many-colored cloths, these sheep, these birds, 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 65 

1 1 besides this honey, this gold, and these silver vases and 
precious stones." 

Pizarro welcomed his royal guest with the respect becom- 
ling one of so great a name, talked with him and made him 
presents of a red cap and some long strings of bright- 
colored beads. 

" I come," said he, " from the Inca to bid you welcome to 
jour land, and invite you to visit him at his camp." 
I Pizarro, with great show of delight and appreciation of 
the mighty Inca's condescension, accepted this invitation, 
and took great pains to make the guest's visit a pleasant 
one, and to make such a display of his army and of his 
power that the Inca should be impressed with the report the 
messenger would make on his return. Pizarro was not, 
however, at all deceived by this appearance of friendship, 
and saw at once that the messenger had been sent merely 
as a spy. 



pIZ;ARRO yVDVANCEg I/pON THE |nCA3. 

Pizarro had pushed on to the foot of the mighty Cordil- 
leras, on the other side of which he knew lay the fertile 



66 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

plains and beautiful cities of the Inca. On the water-side- 
these mountains, indeed, looked grim and forbiddino\ On 
the other side were gentle slopes and beautiful woody spots. 
Here and there, up among the hills on the tops of roundedi 
mounds, were perched the odd little villages of the Peru J 
yians, each with its shining temple and its great strong 
walls. 

It was at the city of Caxamalca that the Inca held his 
court ; and it was on a gently-sloping plain outside the city 
that his army was drawn up. 

The messenger had returned from Pizarro's camp, and 
though he had reported the terrible power of the Spanish 
firearms, and had described the great animals, larger by 
far than sheep and much more swift, on which the Span- 
iards rode, the Inca was little moved by fear as he looked 
proudly over his numberless followers, brave and daring, 
strong and well trained, and, above all, so loyal to thein 
country and to him. 

^'Let them come," said lie. "Little can they do with 
their two hundred men against my unnumbered forces.'' 

We will meet them, and if they are hostile they will die. 
Are we not children of the Sun, and is that not enough! 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 67 

Let it not be said that children of the Sun have 
fear." 

The Inca had make up his mind to get Pizarro into his 
power by trickery. That was the Peruvian method of 
procedure in battle, and in this method the Inca had per- 
fect faith. He did not know that in the Spaniard he had a 
foe whose duplicity could more than match his own. 

Long, long ago, a dying Inca had told his people that 
one day there would come from the far east a band of 
strangers, "white, with long, straight beards," who would 
conquer and put an end to the great empire of the Incas. 
But this prophecy was not remembered now, and the Inca 
! retired to his rest in perfect contentment, assured within 
\ himself that there was little cause for fear from these for- 
eign foes. 

j The march across the mountains had been full of hard- 
ships. In some places the mountain road was a mere path, 
so narrow that the soldiers must go forward one by one, 
carefully leading their horses. Deep ravines and steep 
precipices added to the difficulty. Colder and colder grew 
the air as they went higher and higher up the mountain 
side. The summit was at last reached, fires were built, 
and the weary little band rested and warmed themselves. 



68 FRANCISCO PIZAERO. 

Here, upon this mountain top, came again an envoy from 
the Inca, repeating the same invitation and welcome. 

PizaiTo was puzzled. Xot once, in his march up the 
mountain, had he received anything but kindness from the 
villages through which he had passed. AVhat did it mean? 
Was the Inca so foolish as to suppose the Spaniards came 
with any other than the object of conquest? Had he thus 
easily given up in terror to them, and was this his chosen 
way to receive his conquerors? Or was he wise and wily, 
and was all this pretence at friendliness but a deep plot to 
decoy the Spaniards beyond the mountains into the city, 
and there destroy them? 

In this second visit the envoy unwisely told Pizarro of a 
feud existing between Atahualpa, the Inca at Caxamalca, 
and his brother Hauscar, the Inca of another part of the 
country. Pizarro was shrewd ; and at once saw in this a 
possibility for securing aid in this attack upon Pera. 



Jhe €ity of the Jnca?. 

The march down the mountain side was slow and full 
of diflSculties. To climb the steep precipices with their 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 69 

horses and their heavy armor had been hard enough ; but to 
descend these slippery steeps, with the yawning chasms 
beneath, was more frightful still. But this little band of 
tried soldiers knew not the meaning of fear. On they 
pressed, down into the beautiful green valley in which lay 
the shining city of the Inca. 

Here, indeed, lay stretched out before them the rich 
lands of that empire whose conquest had so long been the 
one bright dream of Pizarro's life. There lay the city. 
Beyond moved the marshalled forces of the great Inca him- 
self. Pizarro realized that his glory or his destruction, his 
victory or his defeat was close at hand. 

As yet no sign of resistance was evident. Again a mes- 
senger from the Inca welcomed them, and brought them 
food and rich gifts. Pizarro's heart sank within him as he 
noted the enormous forces of the Inca drawn up beyond 
the city and compared with them his own little band of two 
hundred. But it was only for a moment. With grim 
determination he gave his order, '' March I '' 

Up to the very gates of the city they moved — in through 
the gates — up to the public square. And still no resist- 
ance. The city was deserted, the houses closed. Pizarro 
was indeed in possession of the city of the Inca. 



70 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

"We must lose no time," said Pizarro to De Soto, "in 
findino* out the real intentions of this mysterious Inca. In 
the morning, with fifteen horsemen, you shall proceed to 
the Inca's camp and demand a hearing." 

Early with the rising of the sun De Soto set forth. 

Atahualpa had been told of their approach. He allowed 
him to come into his presence and to deliver the message 
from Pizarro. During it all, the Inca sat motionless, not a 
muscle of his face showing in any way that he was conscious 
of a stranger's presence. 

"Is he deaf and dumb," said one of the horsemen, "oris 
he made of stone ? " 

A long, deep silence followed De Soto's speech. De Soto 
waited. The whole court waited. The Inca sat motionless. 

" This must be the Peruvian idea of noble dignity," said 
one horseman to another. 

By and by, a tall, swarthy-faced nobleman advanced and 
said, " It is well." 

Then followed another long silence. At last, Hernando, 
one of Pizarro's brothers who had come with him, spoke 
sharply and said, " We do not come here to trifle. We 
demand an answer. What is the reception intended by the 
Inca for the Spaniards?" 



FKANCISCO PIZARKO. 



71 




72 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 



At this, the Inca slowly raised his head in a grieved, 
injured sort of way and said, "This is our feast day. To- 
morrow I will visit your leader." 




REGAL EMBLEMS Al^D HOUSEHOLD GODS. 



The Inca again dropped his head, as much as to say, 
^J^rouI)le me no more." Quietly the horsemen left the 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 73 

Jbamp and returned to Pizarro. The report of the wealth, 
ithe strength, the discipline, and the great numbers of 
Natives drawn up in readiness for battle, aroused fear in the 
tiearts of many a brave Spaniard, as he contrasted the two 
[armies. 

I Pizarro himself knew that fearful odds were against him. 
IrAnd still,'' said he to his men, "the arts of war do not 
bonsist wholly in battles. AVe have our firearms and we 
ijiave our wits. Let us put them both to work. Can we 
jiot fall upon our foe, and, by some great stratagem like 
':hat with which Cortes overthrew the mighty Montezuma, 
iH'ing them into our power. Escape, there is none. Of 
hat we are sure. Then let us act,^'^ 

j That night, as Pizarro lay beneath the starry Southern 
,iiky, he rehearsed to himself over and over the desperate 
bravery of his kinsman, Cortes. "His position was not 
lunlike mine, and he seized upon the king," said he to him- 
self. Then calling his officers together, he said : " Com- 
ades, I have a desperate plan, one that becomes our 
lesperate position. To battle with our small force against 
he Inca would be folly. To attempt retreat would be 
leath. Even if we did reach Panama ao^ain there would be 



74 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

for us only sneers and jeers. Our only hope lies in a bold 
stroke — in strategy. Here is my plan. Tomorrow the 
Inca comes to our camp. I shall take him prisoner." 

" Take the Inca prisoner ! " cried his officers starting up. 
"It can't be done." 

"It can be done." answered Pizarro, calmly. Can we 
not do as much as Cortes did in Mexico ? Did he not with 
a little force take Montezuma prisoner? Can we not do the 
same ? " 

" It is desperate, it is perilous, it is hopeless," said his 
officers. 

"Is not our position here desperate, perilous, and 
hopeless?" answered he. 



€aPTURE of y^TAHUALPA. 

All was in readiness in the Spanish camp. Pizarro's des- 
perate scheme had been communicated to the soldiers, the 
plan tor action arranged, and a signal agreed upon. 

It was nearly night-fall before the Inca came. All day 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 75 

fljlong his forces were mysteriously parading up and down the 
^|road leading from their camp to the city, much to the an- 
jjnoyance and concern of Pizarro, who feared his scheme 
'aiiight fail from lack of opportunity. Message after mes- 
Isage came from the Inca, who, as if filled with presenti- 
'ment of the fate in store for him, seemed determined to 
^Itake every precaution in entering the city. 
^' But at last, borne upon a gorgeous litter, and surrounded 
ijby a strong guard, he entered the city. As he paused in 
Ithe great square, a priest advanced to him, Bible in hand, 
land said, "I am a priest and I am a teacher of Christians. 
nPLn this Book are the Commandments of God. I ask you in 
His name to be friendly with us." 

j Atahualpa, seeing the book, took it from the priest's hand, 
looked at for an instant, then threw it upon the ground. 
He was no longer the dignified, solemn Inca. His rage 
burst forth. Dignity was forgotten. "I know," shouted 
he, " only too well how you have treated my people and 
have robbed my villages. Now I come to meet the Span- 
jiard, face to face, and to tell him that I will have my treas- 
ures restored to me. I do not leave this place until all are 
jbrought and laid at my feet." 



76 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

The monk tried to speak. " Silence ! " thundered the 
Inca. " and hear me, I will not be slave to any king. 
I will be friends with you, but I will never obey your king. 
Neither will I bow to your God. I am a child of the Sun. 
I will not know your God. The Sun, the Sun is our God, 
and him will his children worship." 

The monk, angry at this, turned to Pizarro, saying,. 
" Seize the infidel ! Seize him ! He insults our Bible and 
our God ! Seize him ! Seize him ! . 

Instantly Pizarro gave the signal and rushed upon the 
Inca. A great cry went up from the square. Guns blazed 
forth their deadly fire ! The cannon roared ! Soldiers 
burst forth from every side and fell upon the unprotected 
guard. Out came the cavalry, charging fiercely upon the 
frightened natives. A panic ensued. Order was lost. 
Confusion reigned. The tramping, foaming horses seemed 
to the poor natives, fiends indeed. The square ran blood. 
The shrieks of the wounded and dyino:, minaied with the tbun- 
der of the cannon, filled the air. The cavaliers, slashing 
right and left with their sabres, mowed down the Peruvians 
like grain before the mower's scythe. Around the sacred 
body of the Inca thronged his guard, fighting fiercely to^ 



FRAISrCISCO PIZARRO. 77 

lave his precious life. One by one they fell before the fury 
'*f the Spaniards. One rush upon the bearers of the litter 
Ind it fell upon the writhing bodies of its dying defenders. 
' Now the blood-thirsty Spaniards fell upon the Inea. 
'"^ Away, away ! " cried Pizarro. "Preserve the Inca's life ! 
)o you not see we must hold him as hostage? Away, 

iway with him ! To kill him would be our ruin." 

I 
Poor, crest-fallen Atahualpa ! As they led him away he 

Ivalked as one in a dream — dazed, unconscious. His beau- 

■ iful feathers were broken, his crown lost, his robe dab- 

!bled and blood-stained. All his glory was gone. Ata- 

i' 

lllualpa, the Inca, the child of the Sun, was a prisoner of war. 

The Inca was conducted to Pizarro's own apartments, and 
Pthere dressed in simple garments. As with sad and 
! svretched face he took the seat beside his captor, Pizarro 
isaidto him, "Listen, O thou great Inca, and know that we 
are subjects of a greater king than you. We come to con- 
'^uer your country and bend you to our king. We come 
'to make Christians of you and teach you the wickedness of 
your heathen worship." 

The Inca made no reply ; he only slowly shook his head, 
puzzled, sorrowful, crushed. 



78 FEANCISCO PIZARRO. 

"You have nothing to fear, Atahualpa," continued Piz 
arro, "if only you will submit yourselves to us. AVe mak< 
war only on our foes. You will be protected and kindb 
dealt with if you are true to us." Then, calling his mei 
together, he commended them for their valor, and cautionec | 
them to be watchful lest the Peruvians fall upon then 
unawares, in their desperation and determination to rescue J 
their sacred Inca. 

Then the soldiers retired to their posts, and quiet reigned 
The day's work was done. The Inca was captured. Bu 
what will the morrow bring ? 



y^TAHUALPA A pRipONER. 

The morning sun rose warm and clear, seemingly 
unconscious of the terrible slaughter of its children, anc^ 
careless of the sacrilegious capture of its chosen ruler. 

It was with a strange sense of loss of confidence in th< 
Sun-god that Atahualpa and his fellow captives per 
formed their morning devotions, and prayed for protectioi 
through the coming day. i 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 79 

f With the first rays of light, the captives were marshalled 
I forth into the public square. Oh, such a ghastly sight! 

There on every side, their rich robes stained with blood, 
'■|la3^ two thousand of Inca's bravest nobles, stifi* and stark 
fin death. 

^1 "These warriors are to be buried, even while their Sun- 
'i god's face looks down upon them," said Pizarro. "See to 

it that trenches are dug, and that these captives bury their 
I own dead. Let them see how little power their Sun-god 

I has before the soldiers of the Spanish king." 

It seems cruel and coarse in Pizarro to have made this 

II thrust at the already broken-spirited captives ; but great 
heroes of Pizarro's type are not apt to be burdened with an 
over-sensitive nature, and then, too, it was the custom of 
the time to have little mercy upon the conquered foe. 

! Pizarro knew that his victory must at once be followed 
I up with another onslaught before the people were recovered 
from their confusion and terror. 

To have taken their Inca, the child of the Sun, was a 
deed unheard of in all their history. That the Inca was 
under the divine protection of the Sun and could never see 
misfortune, was their religion. Now all was swept away. 



'01 



80 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

The loss of two thousand warriors was nothing. They , rji 
held it their duty and their privilege to fight and die for 
their country and their Inca. But to see their Inca taken 
prisoner, captured — perhaps killed — that was a death- ^ 
blow to their very faith, and it filled them with superstitious 
fear. 

While this terror was upon them, Pizarro knew was his ^j 
time to strike. Accordingly he despatched his horsemen to 
the Peruvian camp. The camp was indeed in sad confu- 
sion. The thousands of troops, one half of whom alone 
could have destroyed, ten times over, the little Spanish army 
had they made an attack upon it, were rushing hither ^.^^ 
and thither, groaning and wailing, prostrating themselves 
before the uprising sun, begging and praying for mercy. 
Their god had deserted them ! Their monarch was slain ! 
What was there for them but flight? 

Up rode the little body of horsemen into the very heart j 
of the camp. Away fled the natives as before avenging , 
fiends, leaving their camp and all its treasures in the posses 
sion of the Spaniards. 

In the Inca's gorgeous tent such treasures of gold and , 
brilliant stones were found ! All these the cavaliers 



n 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 81 

gathered together and kid at Pizarro's feet. Even the 
^greedy Spaniards for once were satisfied with their gain. 
'Had they returned to Panama with this treasure alone, they 
,J¥Ould even then have brought to the Spanish power a 
world of wealth, and have secured for themselves lives of 
kse and luxury. But " Conquest ! conquest ! '' was their 
■vatchAvord. 

Pizarro amused himself during the weeks that followed, in 
ionversing with his royal prisoner, and in teaching him to 
;peak the Spanish language. In nothing did the Inca show 
'uch interest as in this. To him it was his one hope of 
learning the Spanish secrets, and so sometime, perhaps, 
'reeing himself from their hated power. 

The manner in which the Spaniards were able to read was 

I great puzzle to Atahualpa. Xothing pleased and amused 

im more than to have a word written for him, and then to 

lake it from one Spaniard to another asking, "AYhat do 

hese figures say ? " And when one after another of the 

paniards would read the word, giving the same name to it, 

le Inca would go away both delighted and puzzled at this 

range power. One day, it is said, he presented a word 

p Pizarro himself, saying, "Read, read ! " Pizarro looked 



82 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

at it, grew red in the face, and was obliged to admit that he 
could not read. The Inca looked at him with scorn, anc 
never after did he have such profound reverence for hh 
captor. 

I 



piz;ARRo'g Yreachery. 



re 



rf 



Some few weeks after his capture the Inca said to Piz- 
tarro, "I have a brother in a neighboring province. If yor 
will free me,, I will give him into your power — he and al 
his belongings — and will bring to you loads of golder 
plate and bars of silver, more than would fill this palace." [ 

Pizarro's interest was aroused — his greed was arousea 
too, I fancy. After some show of authority and pretence^ 
at refusal, Pizarro agreed to the Inca's offer. Away wen\ 
the Inca's trusty servant to the city of Cuzco with the Inca' 
message that two thousand men should at once come tc, 
Pizarro, bringing all the treasure they could carry. 

In a short time the treasure began to arrive. SucI 
loads of gold ! Such jewels ! Again even the Spanislj 



fka:n^cisco PIZAKRO. 83 

freed was more than satisfied. " What manner of coun- 

||y can this be," said they, "to pour out such wealth from 

Is cities ? Let us hasten on to complete our conquest of 

pis wonderful country." 

ij Hernando, Pizarro's brother, set forth across the country 

b this city of Cuzco. Accompanied by guides under 

rders from the Inca, Hernando and his men were 

very where met with generous welcome, and were sump- 

jiiously feasted. In one city they shattered the great 

^|ol, stripped a temple of its glory, and bade the people 

1 

^ave their heathen worship and worship the true God. A 

llrange way of turning peoples' hearts God-ward, we should 

ly ; but many things were strange in those early times. 

The horrified Peruvians looked on as the Spaniards razed 

^jieir idols and their temples, expecting every instant that a 

olt from the sky would strike them dead. But no bolt 

lime. The sun seemed not to care. What did it all mean ? 

^ad they not always preserved and protected these idols 

everently and carefully ; and had they not been taught 

aat the sun-god would most terribly avenge any injury or 

'isult to them ? Who were the Spaniards that even the 

tan dared not punish them ? 



84 FEAXCISCO PIZARRO. 

Just about this time Almagro arrived from Panama. 
PizaiTO had promised him that as soon as he should have 
established himself in Peru he Trould send for his old friend, 
and would divide the poAver with him. Almagro, having 
more confidence in Pizarro's courage than in his honesty, 
thought it quite time that he came to Peru to remind 
PizaiTO of his promise. Pizarro pretended great joy at the 
sight of his old friend, and eagerly unfolded to him the 
story of his success, and his plans for the future. 

But the ransom which the Inca had promised had now t- 
all been brought, and the Inca demanded his freedom. 
Xow, Pizarro had no more idea of freeing the Inca than 
he had of going back to Panama and settling down upon hit 
farm. He knew full well that the Inca would raise an army 
and march against the Spaniards at once, and that all PeiT 
would flock around his banner. But he had not hesitatec 
to lie to the Inca, and to receive his great ransom undei 
these false pretences. Pizarro was not the man to hesitate 
in a little question of right or wrong. He was there to con- 
quer Peru, and to him no means were beneath his use. 

Pizarro was distant and cold to the Inca now, ancT 
often surly and cruel. He knew he had acted contemptibl}! 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 85 

rith his prisoner, and so shrank from meeting him, much 
^jjiore from speaking with him. 

^^ I must find some pretence for this breaking of my 
li'omise," said Pizarro ; " even with a heathen captive it is 

ell to have some excuse." 
f' Rumor now reached the city that a mighty army was 
dvancing to attack the Spaniards, and that the army had 
een raised by private messages from the Inca. In this 
irmy, so rumor said, were thirty thousand Peruvians and 
(wo thousand Carib man-eaters. A terrible force, indeed, 
i^Fthe report was true. At any rate, Pizarro saw in it an 
ttpportunity to seize upon Atahualpa. He ordered him to 
•e brought forth. ^^ AVhat is the meaning of this treason ? " 
(laid he. "Have I not treated you with honor? Have you 
f|ot been protected and generously treated ? Had I not 
promised vou freedom? Why have vouthus turned ao'ainst 
!ae ? " 

"I do not even know what you mean," answered the Inca, 
'vearily. "Am I not in your power? You yourself shall 
ay whether I have been protected, whether I have been 
'ustly dealt with." 

It is said Pizarro quailed before the quiet contempt of his 



86 FRAlSrCISCO PIZARRO. 

royal prisoner. But if he did, it was but for a moment 
Turning to a servant, lie said, "Take away this prisonei^lB 
and keep him closely guarded. He shall be dealt with by 
and by." |> 

Enough had been said to arouse the fiery Spaniards 
against the Inca. Xow there arose a clamor in the camp 
that Pizarro could not have quieted had he wished. " The 
Inca has caused this peril," said the soldiers, "and he shall- 
be brought forth. He should be tried. He should be|^ 
slain." 



Peath of /vtahualpa. 

Pizarro led forth the unhappy Atahualpa for trial. The 
trial was but a mere form, for already his doom was sealed. 
He was placed upon a bench before his cruel judges, Pizarro^ 
and Almagro. Little was said, for there was little to be" 
said. The Inca was to die — that was the only thought — ' 
not because treason could be proven against him, but be-^^ 
cause it was convenient for his captors that he be put out 
of the way. 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 87 

f Such a brief, one-sided trial Avas a mere farce ; and Ata- 

'H'^ualpa was condemned to be burned at the stake. 

n Poor Atahualpa ! little had he deserved this cruel fate I a 

Vood, kind ruler, over a loyal and loving people, he had 

risen in rebellion only at the invasion of his country by 

iijliis people's foe. 

i| "What have I done,*' said he, the tears rolling down his 
liwarthy cheeks, ''that you should put me to such a death 
HIS this? Have you not been Avelcomed everywhere by 
ny subjects, befriended by them, enriched by them? Have 
E not lavished my wealth upon you? Have mercy ! I, the 
once powerful Inca of Peru, I, the child of the Sun, beg 
you to have mercy ! " 

Pizarro, be it said to his credit, strode out of the hall, his 
ahard heart touched by the truth of the Inca's words. But 
jhis resolve was not changed. Hardly had the sun reached 
ithe western sky when the Inca was brought forth, chained 
jhand and foot, into the city square. His face was proud 
j and kingly; his carriage stately. Xot one word, one look 
I of pleading now. Before these treacherous Spaniards he 
walked, a king again. The fagots were piled about him, 
the priest advanced to perform the rites of baptism ; to 



88 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

offer him the choice of burning or of strangling ; and thus p 
closed the life of Atahualpa, the child of the Sun. 

Prescott, in his history of Peru, gives this account of the 
funeral of the Inca : 

" The body of the Inca remained, on the place of execu- 
tion through the night. On the following morning it was 
removed to the church of San Francisco, where his funeral 
obsequies were performed with great solemnity. Pizarro 
and the principal cavaliers went into mourning, and the 
troops listened with devout attention, to the service of the 
dead from the lips of Father Valverde. The ceremony was 
interrupted by the sound of loud cries, and wailing of |] 
many voices at the doors of the church. These were sud- 
denly thrown open, and a number of Indian women, the 
wives and sisters of the deceased, rushing up the great 
aisle, surrounded the corpse. This was not the way, they 
cried, to celebrate the rites of an Inca, and they declared > 
their intention to sacrifice themselves on his tomb, and bear 
him company to the land of spirits. The audience, out- 
raged by this frantic behavior, told the intruders that 
Atahualpa had died in the faith of a Christian, and that the 
God of the Christians abhorred such sacrifices. They then 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. ' 89 

jkused the Tvomen to be excluded from the church, and 
^veral, retiring to their own quarters, killed themselves in 
lie vain hope of accompanying their beloved lord to the 
rio'ht mansions of the Sun. 



pi^ARRo's €apture of €u^co. 

When rumor came of the great force marching upon the 
Spaniards, De Soto had been sent out to reconnoitre. 
Xow, when Atahualpa had but just been buried, De Soto 
and his scouts rode back into the city, bearing the news 
that no such army was to be found, and that the whole 
jreport was but a false one. Everywhere he had found the 
jDeople kindly disposed, willing to share with the Spaniards 
land to aid them . 

At this report, Pizarro was, for a time, filled with shame 
and remorse. "But it cannot be helped," said he grimly, 
"and after all, it would never have been quite safe with 
him alive. If he did not in this case instigate insurrection, 
he might have done it later." And so Pizarro easily satis- 



90 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

fied his not over-sensitive conscience, and went on with hk 
plans for attacking Cuzco. 

Leaving a few soldiers in charge, he set forth across the 
slopes of the mountains to the Peruvian capital. 

It was not a hard journey ; and although twice they 
were attacked by hostile Peruvians, the small band reached 
the capital with little difficulty. 

During the journey, Pizarro's suspicions were aroused 
against an old chief who had been captured by his forces, 
and he was at once condemned to be burned alive. As he 
stood in the midst of the fagots, the priest besought him to 
accept the Spanish religion and so save his own soul. But 
the poor chief, who perhaps in his whole life had never 
seen such selfishness, such greed, such lawless plunder and 
slaughter as he had seen in the Spanish quarters, turned 
wearily away saying, "Alas, I see nothing in your religion 
that seems better than my own worship of the Sun. We 
have been a gentle, prosperous, peace-loving people, and our 
sun-god has given us warmth and protection." Then turn- 
ing his face toward the bright sun that shone down upon 
him, he endured the torture without one sign of suff*ering, 
and so passed out from the persecution of the Spanish con- 
querors. 



FRANCISCO PIZAERO. 



91 




92 FRAXCISCO PIZARRO. 

As PizaiTO inarched on towards the capital, he was met 
by a Peruvian noble, who said. "I aniManco the brother of 
the murdered Inca. and I am the rightful successor to the 
power. I come to you as a friend, and I ask your aid and 
protection in my attempt to come into the authority that 
belongs to me.'* 

The shrewd Pizarro saw at once in this a help for 
himself. "You are welcome." said he. "and I promise you 
my aid in your attempt to secure your royal rights. Let 
us go forward together." 

It was night when the Spaniards reached the city. There 
being no signs of hostility. Pizarro rested until morning 
outside the gates. '^Vhen the bright sun rose. Pizarro di- 
vided his forces into three lines, and with waving plumes 
and banners, glittering armor, and sounding trumpets, 
marched in through the great gateway. 

The people seemed dazed by such display of glory. 
Then, as the young prince came, borne upon the royal lit- 
ter, the people shouted and waved their turbans, hailing 
him as their sovereign. 

You may be sure Pizarro lost no time in taking posses- 
sion of the city and establishing his power. He at once 
marched to the central square and took possession of the 



94 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

great buildings on every side for his officers. From the? ^ 
towers and the domes floated the Spanish flag. No hostil-f ^^ 
ity appeared on the part of the people, and Pizarro seemed 
indeed to have completed the ^^ conquest of Peru." The 
soldiers, eager for more treasures, ransacked the public f 
buildings, tore the golden frescoes from the walls of the 
temples, and even entered the sacred vaults of the dead, 
robbing them of the funeral ornaments and golden urns. ^ 

At once Pizarro had young Manco crowned as Inca, and 
in the presence of the throng, he and the young prince 
pledged friendship and everlasting loyalty. 

He set up a new government, in which he held the real 
power, and retained as much show of the old forms as ' 
seemed necessary to avoid arousing suspicion among the 
natives. 

But though the conquest had been so easily accomplished 
and Cuzco was already a Spanish city, there was little 
peace for Pizarro. Hardly had he taken possession when 
reports of gathering armies reached his ears. Almagro, 
however, went against them, and so perfect was the rout on 
one occasion that the natives turned and killed their own 
chief, so angry were they at his failure. 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 95 

f But these attacks from the natives, which were frequent, 
llrere as nothing compared with a contest which seemed 
(bout to come, and that too with his own countrymen. 
^ All this time, Alvarado, the governor of Panama, had 
feen seeking information regarding Pizarro's proceedings 
a Peru. And when he heard of his marvellous, success 
nd of the fabulous wealth of the conquered country, his 
mbition and greed were fired. 

Gettmg together five hundred troops, he sailed for the 
g outhern sea, intending to take possession of the northern 
3art of Peru, and, if need be, dispute his right with Pizarro. 
5 Grievous misfortune assailed him, however ; and by the 
rime he had crossed the mountains, in the freezing' cold, he 
lad lost fully one-half his men and horses in the awful 
chasms, the provisions were giving out, sickness seized 
jupon them, and little courage remained to attack Cuzco. 
i In the valley they were met by Almagro, who had been 
sent by Pizarro to treat with, and if need be, fight the new- 
comers. At first there was great show of resistance on the 
(part of Alvarado, but it was of little avail. Almagro came 
into his camp, ofi*ering to escort him as a friend to Cuzco, 
and to share with him the treasures gathered in the city. 



96 FRAXCISCO PIZARRO. 

AYhile AlmagTO and Alvarado conversed together, the-^^ 
soldiers, too, were mingling freely and talking of their ad-jst 
ventures. It was a strange conciliation; in a few hourg?|rc 
both armies were marching along together to the capital, 
and once more Pizarro was rescued from an impending evilc 



i 



/vLMAQRO /VQAIN3T pI^ARRO, 

Pizarro now planned to found a new city. "No one," said:^ 
he, ''but Indians would think of locating their capital all 
this distance from the sea. It may have served very well 
over here behind the mountains for the natives ; but we 
must have a sea-port. There will be commerce for the 
future of Peru I " 

Accordingly, in the beautiful valley of the Eimac Eiver, 
Pizarro began his work of founding the city which we now 4i] 
call Lima, but which he called "The City of the King." 

It was a beautiful city as he planned it. The streets . 
were wide and straight, and the great square in the centre 
was surrounded by elegant buildings, one of which Pizarro 
appropriated for his own mansion. 

Such swarms of workmen as he employed ! The city 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 97 

i()['ew up out of the plain, like magic. Around it was built 

strong clay wall, high enough to keep out the foe, and 

"Urong enough to resist the shocks of those terrible earth- 

Jaakes which so often in that latitude shake the cities to 
fieir very foundations. 

This new city was Pizarro's one delight. Giving Cuzco 
ito the command of Almagro, he himself remained in the 
ew capital, watching with eager interest every new build- 
fig, and superintending, with wise thought for the city's 
Uture, the laying out of each street and square. 

All this time Pizarro had noticed that Almagro was not 
Sontent. There was a sullen look in his face, and now and 
hen there flashed in his eyes a light that warned Pizarro 
f a time when Almagro would demand of him the divi- 
•ion of spoils and of power which had been promised 
jim. 

I Pizarro was quick to see, and very likely, too, his sense of 
is own unfairness helped to sharpen his wits. At any 
ate, Pizarro thought it wise to make some concession to 
Umagro — some show of intention to abide by his promise, 
-t would have been well had he thought of this a little 
isarlier, for now, even while he was debating, Hernando, 



98 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

who had been sent to Spain to tell of the wonderful countrjii* 
now held hy Pizarro. returned to Peru. 

He had been received with great honor, and had broughl 
back most generous rewards from the delighted king 
Upon Pizarro he conferred the governorship of Peru, witl i 
power to make conquests two hundred miles further south 
to Hernando himself, he had granted permission to raise 
forces to return to Peru with him. and had made him a 
knight of the royal court : and to Almagro he gave permis-'^' 
sion to conquer and hold for his own six hundred miles of 
territory south of Pizarro's dominion. 

Xow. when Almagro heard this, he at once claimed that 
Cuzco itself was within the limits of the territory granted 
to him by the king. A bitter quarrel arose lietween 
Almagro and Juan andGonzalo. Pizarro's two brothers, who i 
had been in command of Cuzco before Almagro came.-^ 

Pizarro was sent for by speedy messengers. He sent- 
back word to his brothers to hold the city, and he himself' 
would return at once. AVhen at last he reached the city, he 
greeted Almagro with all the warmth of an old friend, put 
on an air of reproachful sadness that Almagro should have 
dou])ted his honest intention to make a just division with 



FKANCISCO PIZAKRO. 99 

lim when the new capital had been finiished, and succeeded 
;nce more in bringing Almagro to friendly terms. 






JVIanco, the Younq |nca. 



You have not forgotten the young Inca, who, all this time 
iiad been pretending to rule his people, though he himself 
(Vas ruled by Pizarro. So meek and pliable had he been 
:hat Pizarro had almost ceased to think of any possible re- 
jDellion from him. 

But Pizarro little knew what was going on under Manco's 
[appearance of submission. 

He was like his predecessors, proud and courageous, and 
jFuU of reverence for the religion of his people. Imagine 
jthen the rebellious spirit with which he saw his mild and 
thrifty people under the oppression of a foreign foe, and the 
horror with which he saw his temples destroyed and the 
idols torn from their sacred places. 

During all these months, while seeming to willingly co- 
operate with Pizarro in all his plans for the future glory of 



100 FKANCISCO PIZAEEO. 

Peru, he had nourished a secret plan of escape. Once out; 
among his people, he knew he could arouse them to a sense 
of their position, raise numberless troops, rush upon the city 
and rescue it from the foreign foe. 

For some time he had been sending secret messages to 
all parts of his kingdom, bidding them to prepare for war 
ao:ainst the tvrant Pizarro. 

Xow all was ready. From every village answer had; 
come telling him of his people's readiness to follow him in 
any plan that should free them from their oppression, and 
restore their temples and their gods to their rightful glory. 

And so, one night Manco dressed himself as a peasant, p 
slipped out of the palace, and hastened to a thicket of low 
brush outside the city. Success seemed to attend him. 
But alas, hardly had he reached his hiding-place before the 
galloping of horses told him he was pursued. A moment 
more, and the barking of the dogs told Juan Pizarro, who 
led the party, that the young prince was discovered. 

Poor Manco, discouraged for the time, and bitterly dis- 
appointed that the armies awaiting him must lay down their 
arms and wait again, went sadly back to the city, from which 
so few hours ago he had hastened with such eager hope. » 



ji 



11 FKANCISCO PIZARRO. 101 

e was taken at once to a strong tower and surrounded by 
guard. For a time it looked as if the young prince's 
jause was lost. 

:i But when Hernando returned from Spain he said, "Ee- 
pase the young prince. It is cruel and altogether un- 
•ecessary. Most bitterly do I repent the death of Atahu- 
Ipa. Let us not repeat that cruelty.'' 
' And thus it came about that Manco was again restored 
b his freedom in the palace ; but all those weeks of 
jpaprisonment had not served to increase the prince's love 
or the Spaniards, nor had it weakened in him his firm de- 
jermination to rescue his people. He only awaited another 
»pportunity to attempt their deliverance. 



jVlANCO'g jEjpCAPE. 



One day Manco said to Hernando, "You are in need of 

iiore gold. Pizarro needs it in his new cities. You need 

-t for your army. Far up in the mountains there is a secret 

ave known only to the Incas. Send me secretly to this 



102 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 



i^ 



cave, and I will bring you jewels grander than you liay^ 
ever seen, gold purer than you have ever melted." 

Hernando had great faith in the fidelity of this young 
prince ; and now, too, his never-satisfied greed for gold 
was excited, '"Larger jewels, purer gold," thought he 
"I must risk it. If the prince is playing me double, I can 
easily seize him and bring him again into my power. I will 
send him." 

Awaj^ Manco went, accompanied by two Spaniards who, 
since they were subject to his leading, were as good as no 
guard at all. As we might easily guess, he led them straight 
to a loyal PeiTivian town, delivered them up, and at once 
himself took command of the little army awaiting him. 
Then fleet messengers were sent into eveiy village and 
town to announce the young prince's escape, and to bid 
them gather their forces. 

Ten days passed by. Eagerly, impatiently and some-' 
what fearfully Hernando awaited the young prince's return. 
A Spaniard who had been out about the country saw sus-f 
picious sign* of uprising among the people. He hastened 
to Hernando with the news. 

''It is Manco!" exclaimed he. "I was a fool to trust 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 103 



fj- 



m. But he must be overtaken. Juan, Juan, gather 
ity horsemen and set .forth with all haste to overtake thi&> 
jyal fugitive. Let there be no delay. Haste, haste I 

!" 

lAnd away galloped Juan out upon the highway, straight 
: the mountains. 

Hardly had he gone five miles before he was met by the 

^o Spaniards who had accompanied Manco, galloping at 

Jl speed towards Cuzco. ''Come back to the city ! Come 

ick to the city!" cried they, breathless and frightened. 

:The Peruvians have arisen ! They are in pursuit ! There 

jre millions of them I And Manco is at their head I " 

''Go to the city and tell Hernando,'^ answered Juan. 
[rGo with all haste. And tell him, too, that I will go on 
imd perhaps be able to hold them back. Come on, my 
pen, come on I " And away the sixty horsemen flew to meet 
Ihe troops of angry Peruvians. 

"There they are, there they are !" cried Juan, ''on the 
opposite side of the river ! Ready, ready, my com- 
rades, plunge in, and follow me I Our only hope is in 
pushing upon them with such fury that, as at Caxamalca, 
]hey will be struck with panic." 



104 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

\T 

Into the rushing river, with all the rash courage of a hot- 
headed Spaniard, Juan plunged. One second, and the 
river seemed alive with Spanish horses and riders. The 
Peruvians looked on aghast. A hot, hard fight and the} 
are driven back into the forest. Once more the white mak 
is victorious. 

''AVe will encamp here upon the plain," said Juan 
" This is not the end of these Peruvians, I fear." 

And, indeed, it was not. With the first rays of light a[ 
sight met Juan's eyes which might well strike terror to hit 
heait. The mountains seemed alive. As far as eye could 
reach, on every table-land and through every defile, shonai 
the javelins of Peruvian warriors. Without warning, down 
upon the little Spanish company they showered arrows and* 
stones. 

Another hard battle. Hour after hour the brave horse- 
men stood amid the Peruvian host, now advancing, now 
retreating. But the natives poured in from the towns on 
all sides, faster and faster, thicker and thicker. There was^ 
no hope of driving back such a numberless throng, 
" Ketreat I " called Juan ; and inishing down to the river 
banks, they hurried across and back to the city. 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 105 

Here, at the city gates, more terror greeted him. All 

(ound the city as far as eye could reach, so it seemed to 

iian, were troops and troops of Peruvians, seething like a 

Ireat sea, all pushing on towards the city gates. The peo- 

e were aroused at last. Cuzco was beseiged ! 

"There is but one way to enter, comrades," said Juan, 

rdmly ; " and that is to dash through the swaiTti, trample 

lese warriors beneath our horses' feet and rush in through 

lie gates while the panic is upon them." Poor, slow- 

liinking Peruvians ! It was upon their sad lack of cool- 

eadedness, as we call it, together with their superstition, 

^hat the Spaniards based their operations. 



j Jhe ^eiqe of €u^co. 

Morning came. From the city watch-tower Juan and 
Hernando looked forth upon a sight that might well indeed 
have caused their courage to fail, their hearts to sink. The 
throng of Peruvian* had grown to be a multitude. The 
plains, the valleys, the hill tops — all seemed covered with 



106 FKAIS'CISCO PIZARRO. 

them ; and through the mountain passes, up from the river 
they surged like a coming wave. Their wild shouts, theiii 
shrill war cries, their deafenino: clano^ of music struck terro] 
to the brave hearts of the little band of Spaniards. 

What was to be done ? To attack this numberless fo€ 
was worse than useless. To attempt conciliation, enraged 
as they were at last, was childishness. There seemed| 
nothing to do but to wait, wait, wait. Pizarro might come. 
Forces might be raised. 

But the Peruvians had not come to wait. A long be- 
seiging of the city was not their policy. Aroused at last, 
they came to fight, to kill, to destroy, to revenge them- 
selves, and that, too, at once, and with all the speed and 
cruelty of an infuriated nation. They attacked the city 
with wild fury. Over the walls, into the city, showers, aye, 
torrents of arrows, stones, spears poured down upon the 
Spaniards. Then came great masses of red-hot stones and 
1)lazing masses of burning wood. The city was fired ! Up 
and down the streets and across the buildings the fire spread. 
From tower to tower leaped the flames, and down, crash on 
crash, came the great masses of stone and clay. Soon 
Cuzco was little more than a blazing, smouldering ruin. 



p 



III 



\ 



i 



' 



FKANCISCO PIZARRO. 107 

And now the angry troops set upon the fortress. A hot, 
ladly fight with the little band of Spaniards, and it was in 
pir possession. Now, driven from their stronghold, sur- 
[kinded on every hand by fire and flame, pressed upon by 
;€ oncoming enemy, Hernando called, "Again to the for- 
ess ! On to the fortress ! Together now, all together, 
ish upon the fortress ! It is our only hope ! If die we 
ust, then there as well as anywhere. On to the fortress ! 
In ! On ! On to the fortress ! " 

\ For a second the Spaniards quailed. Then Juan sprang 
^Irward. "It can be done, and I will lead the force." 
||etting forth from the city, the little band suddenly and to 
^!ie utter surprise of the Peruvians fell upon the fortress. 
I^'ith the desperation of hunted men they assailed it. The 
I'iO'ht was lono' and terrible. Juan, fio-htino: wdth the strenoth 
if a giant, pushed his way to the very parapet. The for- 
Iress again was theirs. Again the Spanish dash and daring 
ad conquered the strength and numbers of the Peruvian 
roops. 

But though the Peruvians drew away, and quiet seemed 
o prevail, the Spaniards knew all too well that their sufter- 
ngs had perhaps but just begun. Their position was inse- 



108 FRANCISCO PIZAKRO. 

cure. Pizarro, far from coming to their aid, was himself 
in fierce battle ; the whole country was in arms ; the Peru- 
vian spirit, was aroused and Vengeance rode forth upon the 
wind. 

For five long months Manco besieged the little fortress. 
Starvation or death at the hands of the foe seemed the 
Spaniards' onlj^ choice. Still they held on. Pizarro sent 
to Panama for aid, begging the governor to send troops 
and save the wealth and honor of the Spanish power in 
Peru. 

At last the Peruvian forces drew away. Their very 
numbers proved their ruin. Provisions gave out, and 
Manco saw too plainly that large numbers of his soldiers 
must be sent home to till the fields. 

Quickly Hernando divined their situation. " Xow is our 
time," said he. And boldly he sallied forth, attacked the 
Peruvians, mowing them down like grain before the scythe. 

" AVe must do more even than this ; we must capture 
Manco. Secure, as he seems to be, in yonder fortress, 
on an almost inaccessible cliff, surrounded by his bravest 
warriors — still I say he must be recaptured. There is no 
safety for us with him among his people/' 



! 



FRAXCISCO PIZARRO. 109 

' It was a perilous expedition. It could not but fail, and 
yet the desperate Hernando dared try. Early one morning, 
he, with eighty chosen followers, scaled the steep clifl* and 
attacked the fort. Down came a tempest of rocks and 
arrows and fiery darts. The Spaniards fought bravely, 
but defeat was certain ; and in a few hours Hernando led 
the fragment of his little band back into the city. Had they 
succeeded, Peru would, perhaps, have been theirs once 
more. 



y\LMAqR0'5 pPPORTUNITY. 

Almagro had started southward with his soldiers to find 
another golden country of which, according to the king's 
grant, he could take possession for his own governing. But 
on the journey he had met with nothing but hostility from 
the natives, starvation and bitter cold. 

It was through dreary and desolate wilds they had wan- 
dered. And when at last they were reduced to feeding upon 
the dead horses as their only food, and their hands and 



1 10 FRANCISCO PIZAKRO. 

feet were frozen in the terrible cold, Almagro turned again 
northward. The expedition was indeed a terrible failure; J 
.and Almagro, who at his setting forth, had carried with 
him no little sullen hate towards Pizarro, returned more 
embittered, and filled more than ever with a sense of his 
own defeat" and unfair treatment. 

It was with a grim delight then that, as he neared Cuzco, 
he heard of the uprising of the people and the siege of the 
city. To him this seemed a golden opportunity for his 
own ao:o:randizement. 

His brave little band eagerly listened to his plan for at- 
tacking Hernando, and gladly hurried on to this one last 
struof2:le for AlmaOTo's success. 

It was a black, stormy night ; the rain and hail fell in 
torrents, when Almagro burst into the city, took posses- 
sion of the square, burned Hernando's house and took him 
prisoner. 

Worn out with the long siege, weak and sick, Hernando's 
men were able to make little resistance. Almagro was in 
possession of Cuzco. 

But danger was close at hand. Encamped a few miles 
outside the city, on their way to Hernando's aid, was a 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. IH 

Spanish force sent by Pizarro from Lima, the new 
city. 

"These must be attacked, and at once," said Almagro. 
"Surprise is our only method of dealing with them." 

And so, with no warning of this new foe, the little 
detachment from Lima was attacked by Almagro and 
utterly defeated. 

And now Pizarro, who all these weeks had awaited with 
impatient anxiety the arrival of aid from Panama, was 
gladdened by the appearance at last of vessels laden with 
provisions and ammunition, and bearing a goodly army of 
brave soldiers. 

Pizarro was indeed sick of war. He was growing old ; 
and, worn out by ambition, and struggle he longed to live 
his last years in rest in his beautiful new city. But this 
was not to be. The conquest of Peru had been his dream 
by night and his thought by day. He had made that con- 
quest, and now he must reap the harvest of his own sowing. 
It was a bitter harvest ; but we know that he had been 
selfish and greedy, his methods cruel and heartless. 

It was in this mood that Pizarro set forth — weary, but 
full still of firm resolve, his dauntless determination not 
one whit lessened. 



112 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

Hardh^ had he left the valley when there reached him 
news of Almagro's revolt and the capture of Hernando. 
Moreover, a detachment sent forward had been routed by 
AlmagTo, who was advancing to meet him. 

"We must return and receive our coming guests within 
our new city," said Pizarro with grim humor. A messen- 
o'er was sent to meet AlmaaTO and oifer terms of aoTeement. 
But it was too late now. Almagro, who would once have 
been satisfied with half the power, now, flushed with suc- 
cess, scorned any terms and demanded all. '' Cuzco is 
mine — and Hernando," said he. "And Lima shall be 
mine — and, perhaps, Pizarro." 

It was not long before these two, once such friends and 
help-meets, met in the valley with their forces. It would 
have been as well, perhaps, had they engaged in battle, and 
so have settled the dispute for supremacy. Instead, how- 
ever, after some little quarrelling and bickering, a sort of 
compromise was made, Hernando was freed, and Pizarro in 
return solemnly promised to await honestly the decision of 
the king in the matter of Cuzco. 

But Pizarro had little regard for his promises. No 
sooner was Hernando freed, than Pizarro sent word to 
Almagro that he would not abide by the treaty made the 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 113 

day before, but should proceed in whatever way seemed to 
him best. 

Almagro, on hearing this, broke camp, and speedily 
retreated to Cuzco. "We must not meet in battle here,'' 
said he, "but we will die, if need be, in defending Cuzco, 
the city that belongs to us." 



JhE pATTLE. 

Hardly had Almagro reached the city, than across the 
plain came Pizarro's army, headed by Hernando. 

Almagro himself, sick and unable to raise himself, was- 
carried to his watch tower, while his army, under his faitli- 
fnl officer Orgonez, went forth to meet Hernando. 

Orgonez took his stand and awaited the approach of the 
foe. On the hill tops swarms of Peruvians watched with 
savage delight the white men arrayed against each other. 

Hard and hot the battle raged. The two leaders, always 
bitter enemies, now closed in deadly combat. Orgonez 
fell. The foe gathered around him. 



114 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

"I wish honorably to surrender," said Orgonez, proudly. 
"Is there a knight here who will receive my sword?" A 
cowardly soldier sprang forward, took the sword, and then, 
dastard that he was, plunged a dagger into the brave cava- 
lier's heart. 

A shout of rage arose from Orgonez's troops. 

" Vengeance ! vengeance ! " shouted Lerma, another offi- 
cer. And rushing into the midst of the foe he sought 
out Hernando and fell upon him in desperate fury. Her- 
nando and Lerma, charging upon each other, both fell 
wounded. Now the tide of battle swept in bet^s^een them, 
and they were parted. A little longer the battle raged, 
then Almagro's troops turned and fled. Hernando hotly 
pursued, and seizing upon Almagro himself, who was being 
carried on a litter by his faithful servants, threw him into 
prison, and entered the city triumphant. Again Her- 
nando held Cuzco, and Almagro was his captive. 

"When I was his prisoner, he was kind to me, he spared 
me, he saved me when his officers would have had me put 
to death, and he freed me," Hernando said to himself many 
times a day, as he thought of what must be Almagro's 
fate. ''And still I dare not let him live. I have promised 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 115 

him that he should be spared, but it cannot be. Almagro 
must die." 

The sick old man, his mind at rest in Hernando's 
promises, lay dying in his cell. Suddenly, one day, his 
door was thrown open, two soldiers entered and roughly 
seizing him, dragged him forth to trial. 

"You are to be tried for treason ! " said they. The trial, 
like those of Atahualpa and the old chief, was a mere form. 
Almagro was already doomed. As his death sentence 
reached his ears, Almagro, who, whatever had been his 
faults, was now merely a sick and dying man, and so might 
well have been spared this cruelty, fell upon his knees at 
Hernando's feet. " O spare me this cruel death," begged he. 
"What harm can I do you in the few days there would be 
left me to live? Look at me ; does this weak, sick body 
look like a dangerous foe to you ? Think you my spirit is 
not already broken, and that I would, if I could, arouse 
one enemy against you ? Spare me ! spare me to die peace- 
fully in my cell ! " 

But Hernando was hardened. ''Arise," said he, with a 
sneer; ''shame upon you, that you grovel like a dog." And 
with these words he turned and left him. 



116 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 



The next day, a priest and a hangman entered Almagro's 
cell. The priest prayed with him ; the hangman strangled 
him. Such was the cruelty and wickedness of the times. 




FRONT OF PIZAKRO'S PALACE. 



pLOT AQAINgT pIZ;ARRO. 

The death of Almagro was not long to be unavenged. 
Almagro had left a son who, unfortunately for Pizarro, 



FKANCISCO PIZARRO. 117 

had inherited all his father's fire and ambition, and his re- 
vengeful spirit, perhaps, as well. 

This son, Diego, was living in Lima, in a large, beauti- 
ful building in the square in which Pizarro lived. He had 
great wealth, and lived a gay, reckless life among his com- 
panions. 

There were in this city many of Almagro's old friends, 
who, now that the old cavalier was dead, devoted them- 
selves to adhering closely to Diego and heartily hating Piz- 
arro. 

Pizarro was now in Lima again, busy with his plans for 
the city, and resting in, what seemed to him, perfect secu- 
rity. Surely the Peruvian troops would hardly be likely 
to combine again after such disasters under their leader ; 
Panama was friendly ; the king was full of approval ; and 
there seemed now nothing to interfere with Pizarro's sel- 
fish ambition to be himself "head and front" of all Peru. 

But all this time that he had been away from Lima at- 
tending to the aff'airs of war, Diego and his friends had 
been secretly at work. Xight after night they met together, 
to drink and carouse, to rehearse their wrongs, and to 
plan revenge upon Pizarro. 



118 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

PizaiTo had been warned that such meetinofs were beinof 
held; but he, too proud to admit that fear of Almagro's 
son could for a moment be entertained by him, pretended 
indifference and scorn whenever he was told of 
them. 

"Miserable wretches," he would say, "what can they do 
to me? Let them go their way. They have hardship 
enough." And so they were left free to meet and conspire 
as they pleased. Whenever they came in his way, Pizarro 
treated them with contempt, pretending not to know of 
their presence even. All this added to their hatred, and 
when Pizarro's secretary, a pompous, strutting man, began 
also to insult them, the conspirators grew more and more 
bitter, more and more determined to be done with this 
hateful tyrant, as they called their governor. 

One dark, stormy night, twenty of Almagro's most loyal 
followers met at young Diego's house. Very stealthily 
they entered and were conducted to a secluded room in the 
back of the building. Diego received them quietly, and 
they took their places around a large table. By Diego's 
side sat a dark, fierce-looking Spaniard, with shining black 
hair, and wicked, glittering eyes. 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 119 

The room was only feebly lighted, and the Spaniards 
were all closely muffled in long black cloaks. The tierce- 
looking man began to talk in a low, earnest tone with 
Diego. Diego looked startled, but the glittering eyes were 
fixed upon him, and the speaker went on, gesticulating 
fiercely and earnestly, frequently appealing to his compan- 
ions, until at last Diego, and all, seemed to agree upon some 
plan to murder Pizarro. 

The plan that this Spanish cayalier reyealed to Diego was 
this : Pizarro, on the following Sunday as he returned 
from the cathedral to his home, should be suddenly attacked 
by this band of men and stabbed. 

There was, howeyer, one of the men who, for some rea- 
son of his own, objected to this plot, and secretly resolyed 
that it should neyer be carried out. So, turning against 
his own fellow conspirators, with that ready lack of honor 
so common to these people, he went at once to the priest 
and reyealed the whole plot. The priest, in alarm, hastened 
to Pizarro's house and told the whole story. 

"Oh! ha I ha!" laughed Pizarro, loudly. "You are a 
yery cunning priest. You see in this a way to higher 
honors. But fear not for me. Pizarro has faced a foe 



120 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

more times than once. Do you think to frighten him with 
such a story now ? " * f 

The priest went away, crestfallen and frightened. Piz- 
arro, for all his loud bragging and insolent laughing, thought 
it well to inform the judge of the plot, and to remain safely 
in his house on Sunday. 



PeATH of pI^ARRO. 

Early on the morning of that day, the conspirators met 
at Diego's house, which chanced to stand beside the cathe- 
dral. The windows on the cathedral side were heavily cur- 
tained, and from these the men eagerly watched the arrival 
of the people at church. 

''He has not come, or have we missed him?" said they 
when all had entered. 

"He comes always with a guard of soldiers, — we could 
not have missed him ! " said one. 

^' He may have come alone. Let us wait until mass is 
over, and he comes out from church," said another. 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 121 

And so the murderers waited. At last the people came 
forth. The cathedral was deserted, but no Pizarro had 
appeared. 

The men stared at each other. " Can it be our plot was 
discovered?" said the fierce-looking leader. "If so, we 
may as well — " 

" Flee the city ! Flee the city ! " interrupted one of the 
conspirators. 

"Flee the city?" cried the leader. "Xever, till that 
tyrant, that murderer of Almagro lies soaked in his own 
blood ! Flee the city ! Cowards ! Eather let us strike 
the tyrant down ! Let us to his house ! Follow me I " 
And with these words he rushed forth into the square 
shouting, " Death to the tyrant ! Death, death to the 
tyrant ! " 

The men followed, others joined the party, and together 
they rushed to Pizarro's house. In through the courtyard, 
through the door, up the great staircase, straight to Piz- 
arro's room rushed the excited band. 

Pizarro's servants were now up in arms; and, rush- 
ing upon the conspirators, a fierce hand-to-hand struggle 
followed. Pizarro, hearing the commotion, boldly stepped 



122 



FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 




FRANCISCO PIZARHO. 123 

into the midst of the combat. Before the conspirators even 
knew of his presence, he was dealing deadly blows on every 
side. Like a tiger he fought, and, old as he was, he drove 
back his assailants with his fierce blows. "Vile traitors !" 
cried he, as they fell stricken to the earth by his sweeping 
sabre, ''Do you think to murder me in my own house? 
Down with you ! Down with you ! " 

For a moment his assailants were stunned, About him 
lay already many of the conspirators writhing in the agony 
of death. 

"Upon him ! Upon him ! Cowards, all of us ! We are 
here to kill the tyrant ! The tyrant ! The tyrant !" cried 
the leader, gathering himself for a fresh attack. At this 
they closed around Pizarro, and five swords were plunged 
into his body. AVith a groan he fell, the blood spurting 
from his wounds. One more plunge of the swords, and 
with a shudder Pizarro sank, dead. 

"The tyrant is dead! The tyrant is dead! Diego is 
governor ! Diego is governor ! " shouted the half- wild mur- 
derers, rushing out upon the street again. "Our laws are 
restored ! The tyrant is dead ! Long live Diego ! Long 
live Diego ! " 



124 FRANCISCO PIZARRO. 

The city was soon in the wildest excitement. Pizarro's 
house was plundered, his secretary was cast into prison, 
and but for the stern refusal and the protection of Diego, 
his body would haTC been dragged into the square, and 
hanged. 

"There is nothing to be gained," said he, '' by mutilating 
Pizarro's dead body. I command that it be spared all in- 
sult." 

And so the body was quietly taken into the cathedral and 
a hurried midnight funeral mass said oyer it. 

It was years after, when the body was taken from its rest- 
ing place and placed in a magnificent tomb near the high 
altar. Later still, when Lima's new cathedral was built, it 
was again remoyed, and entombed, with all the honors of 
the country. 

Pizarro was a wonderful man — one of the greatest in 
history; one of Spain's noblest subjects, and brayest, most 
enduring, most perseyering soldiers. Judge each for your- 
self wherein his grandeur lay, and remember it. Judge 
each for yourself wherein his faults and vices lay ; ayoid, 
and then forsret them. 



li 



APPBNDIX. 



SONGS OF WAR. 



Jhe ^oldier'3 7^^^p^^i^' 

The muffled drum rolled on the air, 
Warriors with stately step were there ; 
On every arm was the black crape bound. 
Every carbine was turned to the ground ; 
Solemn the sound of their measured tread, 
As silent and slow they followed the dead. 
The riderless horse was led in the rear, 
There were white plumes waving over the bier, 
Helmet and sword were laid on the pall, 

125 



126 SONGS OF WAR. 

For it was a soldier's funeral. 

That soldier had stood on the battle plain 

Where every step was over the slain, 

But the brand and the ball had passed him by, 

And he came to his native land — to die ! 

'Twas hard to come to that native land, 

And not clasp one familiar hand ! 

'Twas hard to be numbered amid the dead. 

Or ere he could hear his welcome said ! 

But 'twas something to see its cliffs once more 

And to lay his bones on his own loved shore ; 

To think that the friends of his youth might weep 

O'er the green grass turf of the soldier's sleep. 

The bugles ceased their wailing sound 

As the coffin was lowered into the ground ; 

A volley was fired, a blessing said. 

One moment's pause — and they left the dead ! — 

I saw a poor and aged man. 

His step was feeble, his lip was wan ; 

He knelt him down on the new-raised mound. 

His face was bowed to the cold damp ground ; 

He raised his head, his tears were done. 

The Father had prayed o'er his only son. 

— Mrs McLean. 



SONGS OF WAR. 12 < 



^OLDIER, l^EgT 



Soldier, rest ! thy warfare o'er, 

Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking ; 
Dream of battle fields no more, 

Days of danger, nights of waking. 
In our isles enchanted hall. 

Hands unseen thy couch are strewing ; 
Fairy strains of music fall, 

Every sense in slumber dewing. 
Soldier, rest ! thy warfare o'er, 
Dream of fighting fields no more ; 
Sleep the sleep that knows not breaking, 
Morn of toil, nor night of waking. 

— Walter Scott — Song from " The Lady of the LaJce:' 



]pIFE AND PrUM. 

The trumpet's loud clangor 
Excites us to arms, 



128 



SONGS OF WAR. 

With shrill notes of auger 
And mortal alarms. 

The double, double, doable beat 
Of the thundering drum. 
Cries, " Hark ! the foes come ; 
Charge, charge ! 'tis too late to retreat.'' 

■ John Drtden.— Extract from " 2 he ode on St. Cecilia's Day^ 



{^OINQ ]4oME. 



Bright flag at yonder tapering mast, 

Fling out your field of azure blue ; 
Let star and stripe be westward cast, 

And point as Freedom's eagle flew ! 
Strain home ! O lithe and quivering spars ! 
Point home, my country's flag of stars ! 

— N.P.Willis. 



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